Last weeks to see popular exhibition on the Vikings
Gatineau, Quebec, September 24, 2002 — There are only three weeks left to see Vikings: The North Atlantic Saga, the Canadian Museum of Civilization’s major summer exhibition for 2002 which will close on October 14, Thanksgiving Day. More than 270,000 people have visited the exhibition so far, and the Museum is expecting nearly 300,000 people to visit Vikings before it closes next month.
“Vikings has clearly been a big hit with visitors. It shows more and describes more about a subject that is fascinating for a wide audience. Vikings: The North Atlantic Saga has been one of the most popular exhibitions in the history of the Museum, second only to Mysteries of Egypt in 1998 in terms of the number of visitors,” said Dr. Victor Rabinovitch, President and CEO of the Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation. “In fact, we are happy to report that that the number of visitors to this exhibition has already exceeded our targets by over 25 per cent.”
Vikings: The North Atlantic Saga sheds new light on Viking culture and history. It challenges the traditional descriptions of the Vikings, who are often shown as violent marauders, looting and pillaging foreign shores. The exhibition displays other aspects of Viking society to show their skills as farmers, traders, explorers and artisans.
The exhibition presents 300 priceless artifacts — brought together for the first time — from ten countries on both sides of the Atlantic. The Museum contributed more than 25 pieces from its collection to Vikings: The North Atlantic Saga.
The Museum has mounted a related exhibit that presents the results of recent research by its Helluland Archaeology Project. The exhibit reveals new information about the presence of Vikings in what is now Canada’s northeast Arctic. Vikings has also been enhanced by outstanding programmes and events for its presentation at the Museum, which is located in Gatineau, Quebec, part of Canada’s National Capital Region.
Vikings: The North Atlantic Saga opened on May 8, 2002 and will be presented at the Canadian Museum of Civilization until October 14, 2002. The Canadian Museum of Civilization is the only Canadian venue of this travelling exhibition organized by the National Museum of Natural History of the Smithsonian Institution.
Media Information:
Media Relations Officer
Canadian Museum of Civilization
Tel.: (819) 776-7169
Chief, Media Relations
Canadian Museum of Civilization
Tel.: (819) 776-7167
Fax: (819) 776-7187
|
|
