Heisann! It’s Easter holidays, and as we enjoy the quiet ambiance here in Norway, Carl & I decided to go on a little museum trip. Two years ago, we did the Viking route (Vikingveien) along the coast of Vestfold county, but missed the Midgard Museum due to time constraints. The museum is open from kl 11-16 on that day, so we just focused on the burial mounds and the Gea Norvegica Geopark. But this time, we had our full concentration on this amazing place that aims to give an experience-based learning of the Viking era.

The museum is about 45 minutes away by car. This year’s Easter Sunday was a bit gloomy, foggy and ‘drizz-ly’. Nevertheless, we had a nice time because – no traffic jam…

… and the weather gave a kind of ancient and mysterious vibe. I loved how these oak trees looked during this time, and they’re all over Borreparken.

Outside the museum, there was a small section which shows how experts find these ancient burial mounds and traces of Viking villages. Ground penetrating rader (GPR) is used. There’s also a replica of the runestone of Rök, with inscriptions that can be translated by a touchscreen beside it.

The main museum building was not very big. At 100kr per (adult) ticket, we got to see some displays of artefacts excavated from the mounds and read about the Viking Age and Norse mythology. There’s a museum shop (with no postcards!), and a cafe.

The ticket includes entrance to Gildehallen, or the guild hall. To get there, we walked past Borreparken, the area with the burial mounds for royalties dating all the way back to pre-Viking era.

Then, through a little forest. The ground was muddy and covered in horse tracks. Then, we saw a wooden statue of Heimdall! In Norse mythology, he guards Bifrost, the rainbow bridge that leads to Åsgard, home to the Æsir gods. This visit is very timely. Carl & I just finished reading the Prose Edda by the Icelandic Snorri Sturluson (1179-1249).

Gildehallen was enclosed by a watchfence. According to the museum staff all dressed in Viking costume, the Gildehallen was a reconstruction of a real Viking hall, with its high ceilings and fire pit in the middle. The placement of the chieftain’s chair was questionable though. In movies, they were seated at the farthest end of the hall, with an overview of the entire house. But in Gildehallen, the high chair was placed close to the entrance, on the right side wall. I tried the chair, and thought that it wasn’t very strategic to sit there. Just my opinion. Bad guys could barge in from the left side, and boo, the party’s over.

On Easter Sunday, guests to the museum could try making traditional bread, made with just flour and water, baked/grilled in the open pit fire in the guild hall. Once cooked, you let it sit for a while, then spread butter and/or honey. It’s amazingly delicious! A treat we also had last Christmas eve, well, with crackers and not flat bread.

Midgard Vikingsenter, with the Borre mounds, is definitely worth a visit! I’m so glad we made the trip. We walked backed to the parking lot, and saw a snowdrop (vintergæk) and some coltsfoot (hestehov) or what my husband enthusiastically called after its scientific name: “Tussilago!” These small beauties are a hopeful sign towards spring! SO exciting..

For more information about Midgard Vikingsenter, visit them at: https://vestfoldmuseene.no/midgard-vikingsenter/. ❤ 🙂 ALL PHOTOS AND VIDEOS ON THIS BLOG ARE MINE.  🙂 #spreadloveandpositivevibes