In preparation for the 2027 opening of the Museum of the Viking Age, the Oseberg ship was successfully transported to its new resting location on Sep. 9, 2025. The transfer took approximately 10 hours to travel 106.5 meters (about 116 yards). A full video of the Oseberg ship move is available at NRK, the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation. A shortened version of the move, one minute long, is available on the Museum of the Viking Age website. The Oseberg ship is one of three well-preserved, Viking-era ships the new museum setting will house.
The Original Museum
The original museum building, which will be incorporated into the new museum, opened in 1926. The Arnstein Arneberg design was slated to host 40,000 visitors a year. With the increase in popularity of Vikings in general and the Oseberg ship specifically, the old location lacked the ability to provide adequate access for the number of visitors that wanted to see the ships. Before the museum closed it was seeing over 500,000 visitors annually. The museum also did not provide enough protection for the fragile artifacts.
The New Building
The Oseberg ship’s new location will provide a space with less dust and a stabler climate. More importantly, the ship will sit on a spot insulated from vibrations, preserving them for future visitors.
“We plan for good conditions for at least a century ahead. After that, future generations will take over the baton,” says conservator David Hauer of the Museum of the Viking Age, who was responsible for the move.
The Oseberg Ship Move
The Oseberg ship move took a decade to plan. The ship contains about 90% original wood, and each process used in lifting the ship, moving it, and placing it in the new location had to be tested before the work could begin. During the move, the ship traveled up to 25 centimeters (about 10 inches) a minute. In some places, it had a clearance of mere millimeters from the walls of the old museum. Next up is the Gokstad ship and after that, the Tune ship. The most fragile objects are sleds, which will be the final artifacts moved.
Delayed Opening
The Museum of the Viking Age was scheduled to open in 2026, but the date has been pushed back. Budget cuts and challenges related to the preservation of the Oseberg ship, along with the other iconic Viking ships and artifacts, have led to the delayed opening.
Related Posts
Read about the Oseberg ship and its history and check out our interview about the Oseberg ship move with the Museum of the Viking Age.
Sources:
https://www.vikingtidsmuseet.no/english/norways-new-world-attraction
https://www.vikingtidsmuseet.no/english/news/we-celebrate-a-successful-move.html
https://www.vikingtidsmuseet.no/english/news/relocation-of-the-oseberg-ship-underwa.html
