The Vikings exhibit, which opened Friday, February 5 and runs through September 5, features the largest collection of Viking artifacts ever to visit the United States. The exhibit begins with a short, silent-ish film that grounds visitors in the idea that Vikings did indeed put family first, sharing images (seen in a pseudo-documentary) that emphasize home life and farm culture. While interesting for adults, the film is unlikely to capture and maintain the attention of the younger set, who will be eager to head on in and explore.

The exhibit is fascinating—for adults. But kids will likely enjoy certain elements—the first thing you see upon entering, for example, is a life-size Gokstad ship, impressive in stature and structure. The ship sets you up for a vision that is upended during the exhibit. Fair warning, it’s all hands off deck. As in, no touching allowed.

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Keys, pendants, and a drinking horn from the Viking era, 750-1100 AD, are on display.

Likewise, the exhibit emphasizes the presence and role of women in Viking society. They held the keys, quite literally, and ran the households and farms while the men were away on trade missions and empire expansion. Kids perhaps will pause to ponder the trappings of Viking home life like bowls, combs, keys and other artifacts.

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The role of war is downplayed at the exhibit, but these Ulfberht swords are sure to get the kids' attention.

But it’s the swords, rusted and crusted, that intrigue. Because this culture in most kids’ heads is about war. The exhibit offers a peek (again, look but don’t quite touch) at an original Ulfberht sword, with all its wear and tear, and a gleaming replica that kids can (sort of) get their hands on and imagine the fierce warriors who may have held it.

Another section focuses on boat-building with a large, cordoned-off installation showing the rivets that held a boat together arranged just as they would have been in the actual boat.

There are some kid-friendly interactive elements, including a digital dig that plays like a video game and provides an easy hour of entertainment. Another electronic, interactive feature takes a look at the pantheon of Norse gods and goddesses and all the drama they embodied. Kids will be excited to see old-school incarnations of Thor and other characters from Norse mythology.

Kids will likely enjoy Discovery's adjacent Star Wars exhibit, which we recently reviewed more, while those with younger kids will want to look through our NYC museum guide for something more interactive. It's a fascinating archive, but swords are few and far between at the Vikings exhibit, and the family focus, while noble, misses the misleading (but fun) pop culture cache of the Viking legends.

The Vikings exhibit runs through September 5 at Discovery Times Square, located at 226 West 44th Street, between Seventh and Eighth Avenues. Tickets are $27.50 for adults and $20 for children 4 to 12 with an additional fee for audio tour rental. Watch Broadwaybox.com for possible discounts.

All photos by Paul Martinka/courtesy Discovery Times Square.