Already over 150,000 visitors to Vikings: The North Atlantic Saga
Gatineau, Quebec, July 23, 2002 — The Canadian Museum of Civilization (CMC) announced today that the number of visitors to Vikings: The North Atlantic Saga is now over 150,000 people. Vikings opened on May 8, 2002.
“The number of visitors to this exhibition has already exceeded our targets by over 25 per cent,” said Dr. Victor Rabinovitch, President and CEO of the Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation. “Vikings has been at the CMC for less than three months, but it is clearly a big hit with visitors. It reflects the strong appeal this rich exhibition has for visitors of all ages.”
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 CMC contributed more than 25 pieces from its collections to Vikings: The North Atlantic Saga.
Vikings has 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. This includes a musical by the Icelandic Saga Singers and the re-enactment of a Viking camp by a group of costumed interpreters from August 3 to 5.
The Museum has mounted a related exhibit that presents the results of recent research by the CMC’s Helluland Archaeology Project. It reveals new information about the likely presence of Vikings in what is now Canada’s northeast Arctic.
Vikings: The North Atlantic Saga will be presented at the Canadian Museum of Civilization until October 14, 2002. The CMC 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
Fax: (819) 776-7187
|
|
