On 6 December 2013, the Viking Ship Museum was hit by extremely high water levels

The Viking Ship Museum staff saw the dramatic events firsthand. We have compiled a small portion of the images, giving a good impression of the many hours of collaboration to ensure the the Viking ships.

The photos were taken by:

Pernille Simonsen, staff in the museum shop, who had a view of the rising water and who arrived the next morning for the cleaning up and by the Viking Ship Museum's graphic designer, who besides nighttime pump guard also found time to capture the chaotic environment on 'the day after'.

The dramatic development, hour by hour, watched by staff member in the Museum Shop, Pernille Simonsen:

Before the water began to rise. Emergency Management Agency , the Homeguard and the Police had together with the Viking Ship Museum staff ensured the Viking Shipp Hall both inside and outside.
Before the water began to rise. Emergency Management Agency , the Homeguard and the Police had together with the Viking Ship Museum staff ensured the Viking Shipp Hall both inside and outside.
The water level on 6 December at 15:56 is 165 cm above sea level. The forecast says that the water level will rise to about 170 cm. It ended up an entire 206 cm above sea level!
The water level on 6 December at 15:56 is 165 cm above sea level. The forecast says that the water level will rise to about 170 cm. It ended up an entire 206 cm above sea level!
The waves wash over the pier and the grass at the Viking Ship Museum.
The waves wash over the pier and the grass at the Viking Ship Museum.
There is no one who can remember that the water has been so high in Roskilde before.
There is no one who can remember that the water has been so high in Roskilde before.
It was a sad sight that met the cleanup team. Lots of debris, the water left behind as it withdrew, an overturned reconstruction of a rune stone and an undermined the dance floor.
It was a sad sight that met the cleanup team. Lots of debris, the water left behind as it withdrew, an overturned reconstruction of a rune stone and an undermined the dance floor.
Museum shop staff arrived to the sight of plastic wrapped Viking ships in brilliant winter sun. It is almost symbolic.
Museum shop staff arrived to the sight of plastic wrapped Viking ships in brilliant winter sun. It is almost symbolic.
It has been decided in consultation with the National Museum's conservation department, to let the plastic cover remain until the window covering is gone, to protect the ships as much as possible against dust.
It has been decided in consultation with the National Museum's conservation department, to let the plastic cover remain until the window covering is gone, to protect the ships as much as possible against dust.
And today's sales: Water kasseapperatet from the closed ticket office on Museum Island.
And today's sales: Water kasseapperatet from the closed ticket office on Museum Island.

Morning at the Museum Island on Saturday 7 December Photos: Mette Kryger

Vandet stod stadig meget højt da solen stod op dagen efter stormfloden. Det er svært at forestille sig, at vandet blot otte timer tidligere stod 45 cm højere.
The water was still very high as the sun rose the day after the flood. It's hard to imagine that the water just eight hours earlier was 45 cm higher.
Vandet steg til mere end 50 cm over overfladen på Museumsøen, men nåede alligevel ikke langt op på de landsatte skibe. Vagthold holdt løbende øje med vandstanden og skibenes tilstand gennem natten.
The water level rose to more than 50 cm above the Museum Island surface, but fortunately did not get very far up on the ships on land. The Guard teams regularly checked the water level and the ship's condition through the night.
Hele Museumsøen blev oversvømmet i løbet af natten. Stierne blev til floder og dansegulvet rev sig løs fra underlaget.
The entire Museum Island was flooded during the night. The paths were to rivers and dance floor broke free from the ground.
Alle bygninger på Museumsøen var blevet sikret med barrikader af sandsække, men vandet steg til et så højt niveau, at det alligevel trængte ind. Alle møbler var blevet båret i sikkerhed på 1. sal, mens tunge maskiner blev holdt vandfri ved konsta
All the buildings on the Museum Island was secured with barricades of sandbags, but the water rose to such a high level that the water still got into the buildings. All the furniture had been taken to safety on the 1st floor, while heavy machinery was kept anhydrous by constant pumping.
Alle ting, der ikke var surret eller fortøjet, er blevet flyttet rundt af vandet. Her ses den mere end 120 cm i diameter store egetræsrod, der udstilles på værftspladsen.
Everything that was not secured or anchored were relocated by the water. For example this more than 120 cm in diameter large oak root that daily is on display at the shipyard.
De skibe, der forsat er i vandet var blevet trukket i bølge- og vindlæ syd om bygningerne på Museumsøen.
The ships that are still in the water, had been pulled in the shelter south of the buildings on Museum Island.
Der er ingen tvivl om, at mange drog et lettelsens suk, da vinden og bølgerne lagde sig i løbet af de tidlige morgentimer.
There is no doubt that many heaved a sigh of relief as the wind and waves calmed during the early morning hours.