Yorvik Viking Centre - worth the money?

[Lovage]

We're taking the kids (7 and 5) to York for a couple of nights later this week. DS1 is 'doing' the Vikings at school this term, so we thought we'd go to Yorvik, but it's £30 for all of us and the reviews on Tripadvisor don't look great. It sounds like it hasn't been updated since it was opened 20? years ago.

Anyone been recently with similar aged kids? What did they make of it? Mine are generally fairly interested in history.

[HermioneWeasley]

It's really good. The ride is quite long and lots of exhibits to see before and after the ride. Only thing is it gets mad busy so get there first thing so you can see everything without it being a scrum

[MirandaWest]

We live in York and tbh only go to Jorvik when it's the residents weekend and it's free for York residents then. I'm not sure how much the Castle museum and Yorkshire museums are for non york residents but I think they're better than Jorvik in terms of time you spend there. Jorvik has little carts you ride in but is relatively small.

Have looked now and adults can go yo both Yorkshire museum and castle museum for £10 and children go free, so both museums would cost you £20. And the tickets are valid for a year.

[MirandaWest]

Always good to have differing points of view ,

[MirandaWest]

Castle Museum and Yorkshire Museum. And there's Vikings at the Yorkshire museum this half term.

[TunipTheUnconquerable]

It has been updated. The figures don't have such weird faces as they used to and some of them move. The displays you look at before and after you go on the ride are very good, too.
I took my 4yo recently and it made quite an impression on him, mainly because he thought the moving ones were real.

I'm not sure it's really value for money - it's alarmingly quick - but I like it, as do my kids (4,7 and 8).

Castle Museum is great (but no Vikings), Yorkshire Museum not so good since it's been updated, but if they've got re-enactors there I would expect they'd be pretty good.

[Middleagedmotheroftwo]

We went there about three years ago, and thought it was in bad need of dragging into the 21st century.

I remember it opening, and it was pretty cutting edge at the time, but it's been overtaken by other, more whizzy and interactive places. The kids were a bit bored.

Having said that, if DC is studying the Vikings, I'd say it was worth a visit. It was very interesting.

[cherryhealey]

DIG is good and from what I recall reasonably priced.

Interactive and educational ....I think we spent well over an hour there.


Second the museums too.

[mrshunkermunker]

My children loved it. They were young (3 and 5) but we were there for ages. Is it cheaper if you book online? I think you can also book a time slot in advance so that you dont have to queue outside, and if you gift aid you get free entrance for a year (or you did last year).
I think all these things depend on what you can bring to them. I was excited by Jorvik but not interested in National Railway Museum (I tried), and children pick up on it.

[DadOnIce]

If you have a sensitive nose, just be aware that the, ah, olfactory experience is rather enthusiastically done.

All the way round.

Imagine animal skins soaked in human urine and left out to dry in the sun, and you'll start to get some idea of the effect they are aiming for.

[mercibucket]

go to 'dig' as well. it is fab

[mercibucket]

also lots of viking stuff on in town this week

[breatheslowly]

Our 3 year old liked it enough to go back for a second time (which is included in the price) and she still talks about Vikings. It didn't smell as bad as I thought it would.

[TheRaniOfYawn]

Dig is better. It's an archaeology museum and will have lots of viking stuff. There are also loads of free and cheap activities this week for the Viking Festival.

[missmagnum]

We went a couple of weeks ago with 10, 8, 5 and 3 year olds. We didn't think it was great value as it only lasted a couple of hours, we did the ride twice and the older ones listened to a talk, but the kids loved every minute, so in that respect it was worth the money. They have also talked about it lots since.

[BigBoPeep]

It was a HUGE disappointment for me. I honestly can't see what it is the people who like it see in it? small, quick, booooring.

and I love museums!!?

[Lighthousekeeping]

Waste of money! Honestly it's over in the blink of the eye. Castle Museum is fab though.

[Whycantibetangy]

Its York Viking Festival this week little-vikings.co.uk/features/things-york-half-term-week-kids/

[Whycantibetangy]

tut..pressed send too soon. My 2 dds (7 and 6) really enjoyed the Viking Centre but we got in free on York Residents weekend. DIG is overrated and v expensive for what is essentially some old stuff glued to the floor and covered with rubber pellets. Try the Yorkshire Museum in the Museum Gardens instead - spent hours in there

[TunipTheUnconquerable]

Take them to the have-a-go Viking sword combat in the Merchant Adventurers hall - we did that last year and my kids LOVED it.

I also enjoyed being able to swan around afterwards going 'Karate's so last year. My children have been to a Viking swordfighting class, you know.'

[Lovage]

Thanks everyone! I found some 'child-goes-free' vouchers on the internet, so am going to give it a go on the grounds that the kids are the perfect age for it and it's not so much money as I was thinking. Excellent Viking week stuff going on too, thanks! I wish we could stay for longer (well, apart from the whole 4 people in one small hotel room thing).

[Vickiyumyum]

my dc liked it, aged 11, 7 and 4. its not the first time they have been either, as gp's live in York so we often go for a visit. Starbucks is across the way so go and get a coffee and queue, you can spend as long s you want in the exhibition then get on the ride.

I can highly recommend the castle museum though, we have been there lots of times, the dc have York cards so get in free/cheaper.

There is lots to do in York, easily fill a week. Don't forget the railway museum if any of them like trains.

I'd say don't bother with the chocolate story, it was very long and quite boring and the activities at the end were chaotic. The chocolate lollipop the dc made was not good and the free sample is literally that 1 free chocolate. The café downstairs is appalling too, crowded s its in the middle of the queues for the tour and the shop, the food is quite expensive, things like chocolate fondue take a long time to be prepared and then are disappointing to say the least. the cakes were the driest red velvet and chocolate fudge we have ever eaten and the coffee was bitter.

[bruffin]

My dd was 9 when we went and was too scared to go on. The staff were absolutely lovely and sent us to the end of the ride to wait for dh and ds and give dd the opportunity to get on there if she wanted. In the end ds went round again with me.

[HanSolo]

Lovage- care to link to the 'child goes free' vouchers at all?

[noramum]

OP where are you based? From March onwards the British Museum in London has a new Viking exhibition going on.

www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/exhibitions/vikings.aspx

[HanSolo]

we were looking at that nora, but I think it's aimed a little too old for my 2, plus tbh, I think Jorvik is actually cheaper for entrance!