£2m fundraising campaign launched to reopen better, brighter Jorvik Viking Centre in 2017

Hit badly by the floods, Jorvik Viking Centre is not expected to open for another year.

But when it does, the world-famous attraction will be rebuilt and re-imagined for a new generation.

“Whilst we could simply replicate the pre-flood displays, our mission to educate in an accessible way drives us to plan how we can do it even better than before,” said David Jennings, chief executive of Jorvik owners the York Archaeological Trust.

And as the 32nd Jorvik Viking Festival gets ready to unleash all manner of hairy excitement across the city, the trust is launching a £2 million fundraising campaign to do just that.

Mr Jennings said:

February 2017 reopening

The trust’s aim is to have the Viking Centre open for business by February 2017 at the latest.

That will enable a full 12 months of fundraising, launching with this year’s Jorvik Viking Festival, which begins on February 15.

Due to attract as many as 40,000 people into the city, the festival is particularly welcome after “York’s experienced a very quiet January,” says Sarah Maltby, the trust’s director of attractions.

She said:

Even before the launch of Campaign Canute, supporters have been offering help and donations to the cause, with £4,500 donated already.

Meanwhile the Jorvik team has been working with other major players in the city to ensure that visitors can still encounter their Viking heritage during 2016.

Parts of the exhibition are going out to other York venues, the Theatre Royal among them.

Sarah said: “We are delighted to be partnering with the York Theatre Royal and in talks with two other central venues to host three Viking exhibitions, the first of which will open in April and the other two in time for the summer.”