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My Visit to the Jorvik Centre, York

During my recent trip to York, I decided to visit the Jorvik Centre, aiming to step back into the Viking Age.

The Ride

As I entered, there was an opportunity to experience a ride, that enables an immersive journey through Viking History. I did find it to be a bit overwhelming. There was a lot happening at once—lots of sounds and visuals— making it hard to focus on any one thing at a time. This made it hard to absorb the information being presented.

One thing that stood out was a strange smell throughout the ride. Although this did add to the immersive aspect of 'stepping into Viking history'. it was a bit strong at times. which was a bit distracting.

Exhibits

After the ride, I explored the various exhibits, all very interesting and insightful. The display of Viking artifacts was particularly interesting. I was fascinated by the intricately crafted combs and tools. They provided a tangible link to the past that I found really engaging, as these were physical artefacts from the time.

I also came across some skeletal remains on display, which was both eerie and intriguing. The informational plaques nearby offered context, though due to the dimly lit space in which they were situated (due to protecting the skeletal remains), it was hard to read at times.

Atmosphere

The atmosphere throughout the centre was captivating. The lighting, especially in the recreated Viking scenes, really set the mood. The depiction of a Viking settlement was particularly striking, with historically accurate décor that brought the era to life. It made me think of my own practice in the sense of 'setting a scene'. Although my focus is primarily botanical pattern, my aim for my installation is to bring these elements to life in an interior setting, so being able to experience such an immersive atmosphere was certainly thought-provoking and allowed me to reflect in terms of the 'feeling' I aim to evoke in the audience.

Overall

Overall, my visit to the Jorvik Centre was good, though there were some downsides. While the ride was a bit long and overwhelming, the exhibits were definitely worth seeing in terms of seeing physical artefacts from the past. It was also useful to be able to synthesise the setting and atmosphere with my own practice.