Mystic, Conn. (September 28, 2016) — The world’s largest Viking ship, the Norwegian Draken Harald Hårfagre, will be docking at Mystic Seaport beginning October 2.
The Draken will arrive at Mystic Seaport 11 a.m. on Sunday, October 2. They will be docked near the 1841 whaleship Charles W. Morgan, and there will be a brief ceremony welcoming the crew. Pending US Coast Guard inspection on Monday morning, the ship will be open to the public from 2 to 4 p.m. each day from Monday, October 3 to Monday October 10.
Draken Harald Hårfagre is a clinker-built Viking longship, a reconstruction of what the Norse Sagas refer to as a “Great Ship.” On April 26, 2016, Draken left her home port Haugesund in Norway to begin an expedition to sail to America. The aim of the expedition is to explore and relive one of the most mythological sea voyages – the first transatlantic crossing and the Viking discovery of the New World, more than 1,000 years ago. So far the ship has crossed the Atlantic, sailed throughout the Great Lakes, and ventured through the Erie Canal and Hudson River to New York City.
Captain Björn Ahlander will recount their adventures as the first speaker in the Museum’s 2016-2017 Adventure Series. He will give two presentations Thursday, October 13, at 1:30 and 7:30 p.m. in the River Room at Latitude 41° Restaurant. Tickets are $15 for Museum members and $20 for the general public. Tickets are available online at the Museum’s website: http://bit.ly/2dmdSjU
Draken Harald Hårfagre will stay at Mystic Seaport for the winter, but the crew will cover the boat in November and she will not be open to the public.
Link to dropbox for still images and video:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/abvi1h636vbg85g/AADgJgRIfqZQs2JVhTX3RUQLa?dl=0
About Mystic Seaport
Mystic Seaport is the nation’s leading maritime museum. Founded in 1929, the Museum is home to four National Historic Landmark vessels, including the Charles W. Morgan, America’s oldest commercial ship and the last wooden whaleship in the world. The Museum’s collection of more than two million artifacts includes more than 500 historic vessels and one of the largest collections of maritime photography in the country. The newly opened Thompson Exhibition Building provides a state-of-the-art gallery to host compelling, world-class exhibits, beginning with SeaChange, which opens December 10, 2016. The Collections Research Center at Mystic Seaport provides scholars and researchers from around the world access to the Museum’s renowned archives. Mystic Seaport is located one mile south of Exit 90 off I-95 in Mystic, CT. Admission is $26 for adults and $17 for children ages 6-17. Museum members and children 5 and under are admitted free. For more information, please visit https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/ and follow Mystic Seaport on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.
