The Viking Ship at the Norsk Folke Museum

"Meanwhile the British Scouters and Guiders had been offered a choice of three excursions, and all appear to have enjoyed themselves equally….

"The largest number were conducted in small batches to the "Norsk Folke Museum," on the peninsula of Bygdo. This is rather like Skansen only "more so." There is here a most interesting collection of old cottages and farmhouses, illustrating the evolution of the Norwegian home through the centuries, beginning with the most primitive form of round hut, where the smoke escapes through a venthole in the roof, and ending up with a comfortable house of the eighteenth century. There is also a very curious timber-built church, or "Stavkirche" of the twelfth century, brought from Gol in the Hallingdal district.

"The most wonderful thing of all, however, is the Viking ship, supposed to date from A.D. 800, which was found at Oseberg twenty years ago, and which has been reconstructed out of nearly five thousand pieces. A special building has been built to house this and two other very old ships, and they can be seen from above and below. The Viking ship has most beautiful lines and her lofty prow has extraordinarily interesting carving on it. The ship was used for the burial of a great queen, and when found contained her skeleton and those of several of her attendants and tame animals, with all the vessels and utensils that were buried with her: these are all now in the National Museum.

"An additional thrill was provided for those who visited the Viking ship, by the fact that they saw in the Museum a very tall, good-looking man, with a large dog, and that he turned out to be the King of Norway!"

Rose Kerr, The Cruise of the "Calgaric" August 12th-29th, 1933, London: The Girl Guides Association.

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