First international exhibition opens at new Royal Alberta Museum

An Edmonton exhibit called “Vikings: Beyond the Legend” opened to the public on Thursday.

It features the largest touring collection of Viking artifacts in the world.

The opening marked the first time visitors have seen inside the 12,000-square-foot feature exhibit space at the new Royal Alberta Museum, which has been open for a little over six months.

The exhibition features a replica of the world’s longest Viking warship, including its 1,000-year-old preserved wooden planks. More than 650 items like weapons, jewelry and coins help tell the story of Viking people in the ninth and 10th centuries.

“Above all, the vikings wanted fame,” said Peter Pentz, the collection’s curator. “That was the most desired thing to gain: fame. And next to that: richness.”

Pentz said Vikings travelled far and wide, as seen through the Mediterranean and Indian artifacts they collected on their quests.

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READ MORE: New Royal Alberta Museum to finally open in 2018 

View some photos in the gallery below:

There are plenty of opportunities for visitors to interact with the exhibits. Several touchscreen stations show visitors things like the Viking alphabet or how to build a ship, while an augmented reality station allows users to row a Viking boat.

The exhibition closes on Oct. 20, 2019.

READ MORE: Viking exhibit will be first to raid Royal Alberta Museum’s new feature gallery

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