The United Kingdom’s first AI-powered Viking woman has come to life at the Orkney Museum in Kirkwall, Scotland. Co-creator Dr. Siobhan Cooke-Miller, archaeology curator for Orkney Islands Council, and Tom Muir, exhibitions officer at Orkney Museum, wrote the back-story for the Viking woman. The AI creation, named Ragna, greets people at a new museum installation.
“For the people of Orkney, and the thousands of visitors who come to the islands every year, the artefacts and the world class experience made possible by James Groundwater’s gift offer an unparalleled and tangible window to our Viking past and the people in a way that transcends the passage of time and brings it to life,” Cooke-Miller said in a press release.
Ragna has been programmed to answer any questions visitors may have about the Vikings and their lives in Orkney. She is a widow, who inherited her farm from her husband. The museum chose a woman because women were an integral part to Viking exploration and expansion. They tend to get overlooked in Viking histories.
Part of a permanent exhibition exploring Orkney’s Viking history, the AI-powered Viking woman, Ragna, has no script, so people can interact with her in a natural way. The exhibition opened on May 10, 2025 for locals with a later National launch.
Orkney was one of the first stops for Vikings as the moved out of Scandinavia. It became a political center for the Vikings. The museum also houses items from the Scar Viking Boat burial, including an equal-armed brooch. The permanent exhibition features rotating displays of artifacts, hands-on interactive experiences, and new interpretation panels.
If you want to learn more about Viking women, check out our article on the most well-traveled Viking woman during her time Gudrid Thorbjarnardottir and another post on the Valkyries.
Sources:
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2xewj8352o
https://blooloop.com/museum/news/orkney-museum-ai-viking-character-ragna/
