Jorvik Viking Centre closed by floods 'needs to raise £2m'

The museum was hit by water from the flooded River Foss

A Viking museum that was forced to close by severe flooding during storm Frank will be shut for another year.

The Jorvik Viking Centre in York has launched a campaign to raise £2m to help it re-open.

Its underground re-creation of a Viking street was ruined in December but original 9th Century items, including a sock, bowls and tools were rescued

The York Archaeological Trust plans to open a revamped museum, which attracts 400,000 visitors a year, next February.

The museum closed on the 27 December when water from the flooded River Foss resulted in up to 3 ft (1 m) of water in some parts of the museum.

The city's Norse history was revealed in the 1970s when an archaeological dig at Coppergate found Viking streets buried below the modern pavement.

The trust, an independent charity, opened the centre in 1984.

York's Roman and Viking past

• York was settled by the Romans in the first century AD

• It was known as Eboracum and hosted a Roman military barracks

• The Vikings settled in Jorvik from 866-1066

• The Viking people remained even after the last Viking king, Harald Hardrada, was killed at the Battle of Stamford Bridge near York in September 1066

David Jennings, chief executive, said: "Whilst we could simply replicate the pre-flood displays, our mission to educate in an accessible way drives us to plan how we can do it even better than before - and to do this, we will need to raise a significant sum of money."

The Jorvik centre said it was to stage a temporary exhibition at other York venues including the Theatre Royal.

A planned touring exhibition to other UK venues is to continue despite the flooding.