For about a century and a half before the Norman Conquest, York was Jorvik, a busy Viking town of traders, craftspeople and kings, and the JORVIK Viking Centre is the place to meet it. The attraction sits on Coppergate, on the spot where archaeologists in the late 1970s and early 1980s uncovered an extraordinary set of Viking-age remains: timber buildings, workshops, wooden cups, shoes, combs and thousands of everyday objects preserved in the damp ground. JORVIK opened on the site in 1984 and celebrated its fortieth birthday in 2024. The heart of the visit is the ride. You sit in a small capsule that glides slowly through a full-scale reconstruction of the Coppergate street as it might have looked around a thousand years ago, past houses, a market, a workshop and a busy riverside, with animatronic figures talking in Old Norse and, famously, the smells of wood smoke, fish and latrines. After the ride, the galleries show the real objects from the dig and explain how archaeologists pieced together daily life, from diet to disease. Costumed hosts are on hand to answer questions. Book the official tickets on the website linked from this page.
How to visit: JORVIK uses timed tickets, and booking ahead online or by phone is strongly advised, especially at weekends and in school holidays. Admission starts at your booked time and late arrivals may not be admitted, though staff will try to fit you into a later slot if there is space, and missed visits can be rebooked rather than refunded. Opening hours are shorter in the winter months than in summer, so check the official site for your date. A visit takes around an hour. The entrance is on the narrow street part of the Coppergate Shopping Centre, just before St Mary’s Church, and there is a strict bag size limit with no left luggage on site.
What to expect: the capsules seat up to six people, and children up to the age of sixteen must ride with an adult. The ride itself is gentle and seated, and it is available in several languages. The galleries afterwards are compact but full of genuine finds, and a downloadable gallery guide is available in several languages. Your ticket includes free return admission for twelve months, so you can come back during the JORVIK Viking Festival, which takes over the city each February.
Making the most of it: book the first slot of the day to avoid queues, then walk two minutes to Clifford’s Tower and the York Castle Museum, or to the York Dungeon on Clifford Street. Pair it with the Shambles, ten minutes north, for a medieval and Viking day.
What to expect
The experience
A slow, seated time-capsule ride through a reconstructed Viking street, followed by galleries of real objects from the Coppergate excavation and costumed hosts.
Best time
The first time slot of the day, or a weekday afternoon outside school holidays.
How long
Around one hour, including the ride and the galleries.
Tips
Book a timed ticket in advance, arrive on time, and pack light, because large bags are not allowed and there is no left luggage.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Families, history lovers and anyone curious about the Viking chapter of York’s story.
- Families
- Children love the ride and the smells, and the ticket gives a year of free return visits, including during the February Viking Festival.
- Couples
- A fun, quirky hour that pairs well with a pub lunch in the medieval streets nearby.
- Pair with
- Clifford’s Tower and the York Dungeon, both a few minutes’ walk away.
- Time needed
- One hour.
Good questions
Do I need to book JORVIK Viking Centre in advance?+
Booking ahead online or by phone is strongly advised, because entry is by timed slot. Late arrivals may not be admitted, though staff will try to fit you into a later slot.
How long does a visit to JORVIK take?+
Most visits take around an hour, including the ride and the galleries. Allow a little longer at busy times, when admitting a full slot can take up to twenty minutes.
Can I visit JORVIK again on the same ticket?+
Yes, your ticket includes free admission for twelve months. It is a good excuse to return for the JORVIK Viking Festival in February.
Can children ride alone at JORVIK?+
No, children up to sixteen must be accompanied by an adult in the ride capsules, which seat up to six people. One adult can accompany up to five children.
Where is the entrance to JORVIK?+
The entrance is on Coppergate, on the narrow street part of the Coppergate Shopping Centre just before St Mary’s Church. Look for the Viking-branded queue barriers.
