Lofotr Viking Museum: the longhouse at Borg, Lofoten
The largest Viking Age longhouse ever found was excavated at Borg in the 1980s and rebuilt at full size next to the site. With a film, a ship you can row and staff in costume, it is one of the best Viking museums in Norway and the natural Viking day on any Lofoten trip.
Why go
In 1983 a farmer at Borg ploughed up pottery and glass that turned out to come from the largest Viking Age building ever found, a chieftain’s hall 83 metres long. The museum reconstructed it at full scale a few hundred metres from the original, roofed it in turf and filled it with a working hall: fires, looms, a feast table, and staff who know the crafts and the sagas. It opened in 1995 and is consistently among the best-reviewed Viking attractions in Norway.
What to do
The longhouse. Walk through the living quarters, the hall and the byre, with staff in costume demonstrating crafts and answering questions. An audio guide covers several languages.
The film. A twenty-minute introduction to the site and the chieftain.
The exhibition. Finds from the excavation, including the glass and gold foil figures that show how far Borg traded.
The lake and the ship. A walk down to the water, where a replica ship is moored. From June to August visitors can row it, and try archery and axe throwing.
The festival. In August the museum hosts the Lofotr Viking Festival with a market, camp and feasts. See the event page for dates and status.
When to go
June to August for the activities and the light. Outside the activity season the museum is a good hour and a half rather than a day, and some reviewers would not detour for it without children or bad weather to fill.
Practical
Admission applies; festival activities are included in it. Cards everywhere. Allow two to three hours in summer. There is a café.
Getting there
Borg is on the E10, about fifteen minutes from Leknes Airport and an hour from Svolvær. Everyone in Lofoten is driving anyway. From Bodø on the mainland, the ferry to Moskenes and then the E10 north takes most of a day.
Combine with
Everything else in Lofoten. Nobody comes here for one museum, but if the festival dates line up in August, it becomes the best day of the week.
Related events
Sources
Last updated 2026-09-06. Prices and opening hours change; check the venue before you go. Back to Plan your trip or the festival calendar.