EXARC Members Archaeological (Open-Air) Museums

Vitlycke Museum (SE)

Member of EXARC since

Vitlycke Museum is an experiential and educative centre for the World Heritage Site at Tanum. We aim to enlighten the public by explaining the Bronze Age and the World Heritage Site and to increase the awareness and interest about this period, its locational context and our rock carvings. This is carried out by way of our pedagogic and public activities aimed at schools, groups of visitors and individuals through our exhibitions, the reconstructed Bronze Age settlement and by inviting the public to visit the rock carvings.

Open from

During the summer there are plenty of opportunities for our visitors to experience the Tanum World heritage and its´ rock carvings as well as take part in the daily life in our Bronze Age farm – both in English and in Swedish.

The museum offers free daily guided tours of the rock carving at the Vitlycke panel. We also offer longer guided tours such as The Hidden Heritage and Night excursions.

Our Archaeology school is a ca two hour lesson where children between 7 and 12 years of age get to “be an archaeologist for a day” and take part in an excavation and do documentation (copying) of rock carvings. Bronze Age Life is just what it sounds like: Children and adults can “live” in the Bronze Age farm and done our Bronze Age costumes if they wish.

Every day during this summer period our visitors can try different prehistoric crafts in our reconstructed settlement; perhaps make an arrowhead in flint or pearls in clay. Or try their hand at archery using traditional bows. Recurring events at Vitlycke museum are seasonal festivities such as Easter, the summer solstice, St Mikaeli Harvest Feast and All Saints.
Our school program is an excellent complement to scholastic teaching and gives a deeper understanding of life of yesteryear and it stimulates curiosity and creates a life-long memory for the children. We invite school classes from all of western Sweden to test Bronze Age life during a half- or whole day program. Spend a day looking at the carvings at Vitlycke and visit the Bronze Age farm. Experience pre-history using all your senses with our dedicated educators. You get to see, feel and even taste a bit of our pre-history through hands-on exercises in crafts and cooking.

2007 the Tanum municipality started a special pre-school for 1– 5 year-olds, located on the museum grounds. This is a long-term commitment of cooperation between our two organizations – Vitlycke/Västarvet and Tanum. This is an exchange both on the organizational and staffing level aiming at giving the school a profile based on natural- and cultural heritage.

Annual Number of Visitors
Era(s)

58.701247, 11.340206