News

Visitors will have the opportunity to meet the Vikings at Dorset Museum on Sunday 16 July 2023. This is part of a series of special events planned for this year’s Festival of Archaeology, and the best part is that children will have free entry to this event when accompanied by a paying adult.

The Wessex-based Hrafnslith (‘Troop of the Raven’) is a regional group belonging to the oldest historical re-enactment society, “The Vikings”. They will be recreating an impressive living history encampment within the Museum, showcasing the lifestyles of the Viking and Anglo-Saxon peoples of the 8th – 11th century.

Attendees will be able to learn about combat techniques, visit craftspeople to find out how chain mail and fishing nets were made, observe Norse cooking demonstrations, mint their own Viking coin, and listen to exciting Viking sagas filled with adventure.

The event will take place from 11am to 4pm. Between 11am to 1pm, children will also have the opportunity to participate in Viking-themed art activities.

Dorset Museum also has a number of other events for adults and families taking place during the Festival of Archaeology, which runs between 15th and 30th July.

They include the opportunity to take a tour of Dorchester’s Roman Town House, one of the best examples of a Roman Town House in England (Sat 15, 22, 29 July 2023, 10am – 12noon), hear about a recent project to date the Cerne Abbas Giant in a lecture from the National Trust’s Martin Papworth on 20 July at 7pm, and the opportunity to join Ciorstaidh Hayward Trevarthen, Finds Liaison Officer with the Portable Antiquities Scheme and Dorset Council, for a day of archaeological discovery for families on Friday 28 July.

The Festival of Archaeology is an annual event organised by the Council for British Archaeology. It serves as a platform to highlight the finest aspects of British archaeology through a series of exclusive events held by museums, heritage organizations, universities, societies, and community archaeologists across the United Kingdom.

Elizabeth Selby, Interim Director at Dorset Museum said “Dorset is a special area for archaeology and we are delighted to be offering this range of exciting events for adults and families alike during this year’s Festival of Archaeology. We are pleased to now be offering Kids Go Free for entry to the Museum throughout the year. Additionally, when purchasing an entry ticket online or at the Museum, adults and young people can enjoy unlimited access to the Museum for the entire year.”