Yorvik Viking Centre: Designer John Sunderland to give talk on bringing the past to life

It was developed with the impetus that arose from the overwhelming public interest in the Coppergate dig, a five-year excavation by York Archaeological Trust, which uncovered the remains of houses, plants and animals and offered a fascinating insight into how people lived during the Viking era.

Attention then turned to how best to showcase the artefacts and share the stories behind them.

Original Yorvik designer John Sunderland had a vision – to bring the archaeology to life, with an experiential multi-sensory approach to retelling the past.

When Yorkvik opened in 1984, the result was a historic attraction more like a film set than a museum. Visitors would sit in ‘time-cars’, moving around the set of an archaeologically-accurate reconstruction of Viking-age York.

It proved immediately popular with the public from the very outset and gained critical acknowledgement from both the archaeology and design professions.

An innovative, immersive ’time-travel’-based concept, it has been credited with revolutionising museology and the presentation of interpretive exhibition design.

Sunderland, who went on to work on many cultural heritage projects, will be presenting a talk at Malton Museum tomorrow.

The fundraising event titled ‘A Creative Journey Back in Time’ sees Sunderland, who resided in both the Scarborough and Malton areas during his career, recount Jorvik’s story through its conceptualisation, design and construction.

Organisers Stephen and Margaret Shaw of Norton say: “Malton Museum is intent on raising its profile within the local community and further afield.

"We hope that John’s kind gesture and the public support we anticipate, will both raise funds and increase awareness of what the museum really does.”

The lecture coincides with the recent publication of Sunderland’s revised second version of his autobiographical account On My Way To Jorvik which chronicles his formative years, art school training, his initial career in commercial television production through to the opening of Jorvik. Copies will be available with a book signing session after the talk.

From intuitive inspiration as a schoolboy in Wakefield, to becoming a leading and influential exponent of museum exhibition design internationally, Sunderland’s expansive post-Jorvik work subsequently encompassed commissions in Europe, the Middle-East and the US.

The talk is scheduled for 7pm at Malton Museum in Yorkersgate. Tickets, which are priced £5 each, can be reserved online at maltonmuseum.co.uk and by ringing 01653 691262, with proceeds going to support the museum.