#20: Veronica Björkman

About this episode

The episode features an interview with Veronica Björkman discussing the preservation of Viking sites and the balance between archaeology and tourism.

What does it take to preserve one of the most iconic Viking sites in the world — while also keeping it alive and relevant for new generations? In this episode, we speak with Veronica Björkman, site manager at Birka Vikingastaden, about the balance between archaeology, tourism, and cultural storytelling. We talk about grave finds, the Christian cross at Birka, how modern reconstructions are handled, and how ended up leading one of Sweden’s most historically significant destinations. We also dive into her role in co-founding the Birka Historical Tattoo Fest, the challenge of interpreting history without distorting it, and what it really means to “experience the Viking Age” today. Subscribe to stay updated! Also available on all platforms where podcasts are found, such as Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and more. Find all the links in our linktree: https://linktr.ee/grimfrost

People in this episode

Guest: Veronica Björkman

Topics covered

• Viking sites
• archaeology
• cultural storytelling
• tourism
• historical interpretation
• modern reconstructions

Keywords

• Viking Age
• Birka
• archaeology
• cultural heritage
• tourism
• historical sites
• tattoo fest

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Birka Historical Tattoo Fest

Places: Birka Vikingastaden, Sweden

More episodes of Exploring the Viking Age

• #27: Finding Beowulf on Gotland · June 1, 2026 · 1h 37m
• #26: Heavy Metal and Vikings with JB Christoffersson · April 30, 2026 · 1h 36m
• #25: Einar Selvik is back · April 1, 2026 · 1h 45m
• #24: Sailing and Maintaining Viking Longships · March 1, 2026 · 1h 24m
• #23: Cecilia Ljung - How Scandinavia Became Christian · February 1, 2026 · 1h 20m
• #22: Tonicha Upham - The Story behind the 13th Warrior · December 31, 2025 · 1h 30m