Viking Planet is set to move into Stables Market’s atrium in the space previously occupied by The Tomb Raider Experience.
Planning permission was granted by Camden Council for the attraction which includes virtual reality experiences, a digital Viking museum, souvenir shop and bar.
It’s a spin-off of the Viking Planet Museum in Oslo which opened in 2019 and is described as a “visual portal to the Viking age”.
The one and a half hour experience, which has space for up to 600 visitors, allows ticketholders to not just watch history but take part in it through a combination of cutting edge technology and storytelling.
A longship raid simulation sees visitors strapped into moving chairs designed to mimic the rocking of a ship in rough seas as their virtual crew heads into battle.
Viking Planet collaborated with Ridley Scott Associates and the UK’s Dimension Studio on the scripted VR drama; The Ambush.
There is also an archery challenge with a virtual bow that tests your aim and reflexes under pressure.
Visitors will don a VR headset to be pitched into the heat of battle, defending your longship from enemy attacks or enter immersive Nordic landscapes of fjords, forests, and icy seas, as the Northern Lights dance overhead.
The digital museum looks at Viking life, myths and stories through VR, touch screen and a 270-degree panoramic cinema with curved screens inside a giant Viking helmet that immerses viewers in day to day life in the Viking age.
For the Oslo experience, Viking Planet worked with historian, Kim Hjardar to oversee the digital recreations of buildings, weaponry, clothing, and the longships that appear in the films.
As well as being an adrenaline-fuelled adventure, chief executive Rasmus Ramstad has said he wants it to be family-friendly, striking a balance between fear and fun so all ages can tap into their inner warrior and live Viking life first-hand.
Camden Council granted permission for Viking Planet to stay open until 1am seven nights a week, with a capacity of 600 people.
