
Best Museums in ReykjavĂk
9 min read
ReykjavĂk, Icelandâs capital, is a buzzing cultural hub. Here you can spend the day flitting between cool cafĂ©s, modern art galleries, and fascinating museums. In fact, museums are a great way to learn about Icelandâs cultural and natural history. But what are the best museums in ReykjavĂk?
Below weâve rounded up some ReykjavĂk museums that we think youâll love. If historyâs your thing, delve into the countryâs past at the National Museum of Iceland or learn about Viking pioneers at the Settlement Exhibition.
If natureâs more your vibe, visit Whales of Iceland at Perlan or Aurora ReykjavĂk. And for modern culture, there are art museums and countless galleries.
- Soak up Icelandic culture on one of these multi-day tours from ReykjavĂk.
So whilst the question of which museum in ReykjavĂk is best depends on your own interests, youâre bound to find one that interests you. Letâs dive in!
Top 10 museums in ReykjavĂk
1. National Museum of Iceland

Location: Suðurgata 41, 102 ReykjavĂk
Opening hours: 10 a.m.â5 p.m. every day, closed Mondays SepâApr
The National Museum of Iceland offers a great overview of Icelandic history and culture in one place. The permanent exhibition, Making of a Nation, starts in the settlement era of the 8th century and spans right up to the present day.
Here youâll also find a selection of rotating temporary exhibitions on Icelandâs culture and history. Past exhibitions have covered Icelandic art, fashion, music, and the sagas, as well as the local history of different regions like North Iceland.
- Read our Travel Guide to find out more about Icelandic people & culture.
The museum is also home to a café and a small gift shop. A great place to pick up an authentic Icelandic souvenir from your trip whilst supporting a local institution!
2. ĂrbĂŠr Open Air Museum
Location: Kistuhylur, 110 ReykjavĂk
Opening hours: 1 p.m.â5 p.m. SepâMay, 10 a.m.â5 p.m. JunâAug
ĂrbĂŠr Open Air Museum is built on the site of a former farm and opened as a museum in 1957. As you wander between its 20 historic buildings, you get a real sense of what life in a small Icelandic town must have been like in times past.

The buildings at the site have mostly been moved there from central ReykjavĂk. Iceland has a strong tradition of relocating its old timber-framed houses, which are often small enough to fit on the back of a truck in one piece.
- See traditional Icelandic buildings around the country on a self-drive tour.
This living history museum also hosts temporary exhibitions. Past ones have included toys, vintage cars, and ReykjavĂk in the 20th century.
As this is mostly an outdoor museum, itâs a great place to go with kids. Itâs not far from the ElliðaĂĄ river park, where you can go for a walk along the banks on a sunny day.
Good to know: Along with the Settlement Exhibition and ReykjavĂk Maritime Museum, ĂrbĂŠr Open Air Museum is part of ReykjavĂk City Museum. With the City Card, you can get access to all museums and galleries run by the city council, as well as the National Museum. Whatâs more, it gets you into the city pools!
3. Icelandic Phallological Museum
Location: Kalkofnsvegur 2, 101 ReykjavĂk
Opening hours: 10 a.m.â7 p.m. every day
Well, you probably have a lot of questions about this one. Where do we start? The Icelandic Phallological Museum boasts the questionable title of having the worldâs largest collection of penises and penis-related art.
The museum itself was founded in the village of HĂșsavĂk in North Iceland by former Spanish teacher Sigurður Hjartarson. The museum grew with donations from Sigurðurâs friends and family, including several whale penises and a bull pizzle (no, we donât know either).
In 2012, he handed operations over to his son, who moved the museum south to ReykjavĂk and expanded its collection even further. Today itâs become a must-visit attraction for anyone passing through Icelandâs capital.
For avid penis fans, an annual pass is available. Youâd have to be quite the admirer to beat the record of 43 visits in one year though!
4. Saga Museum

Location: Grandagarður 2, 101 ReykjavĂk
Opening hours: 10 a.m.â5 p.m. every day
At the Saga Museum, you can see moments from the famous Sagas of Icelanders brought to life. These ancient stories record the lives of real Icelanders, although normally with a big helping of fantasy and magic mixed in.
This museum focuses on the earlier eras of Icelandic history, starting at the point the landmass itself was formed 15 million years ago. It then fast-forwards to the first settlers, telling the stories of Norwegians who fled their homeland to start life in the new Icelandic colony.
Most of the Icelandic sagas are set in this period, although many werenât written down until centuries later. So if youâre interested in learning more about the Viking culture of ancient Iceland, stop by the Saga Museum.
5. The Settlement Exhibition
Location: AðalstrĂŠti 16, 101 ReykjavĂk
Opening hours: 10 a.m.â5 p.m. every day
If you walk along AðalstrĂŠti from IngĂłlfstorg square, youâll notice a murky glass window in the pavement. Look through it and youâll get a glimpse of ancient Viking remains.
Itâs these 9th-century remains that the Settlement Exhibition has been built around. They were unearthed during construction works in 2001 and are the oldest physical evidence of the settlement of ReykjavĂk. The remains are part of a longhouse, a type of building common in Viking times.
As well as the remains, the museum has interactive exhibits about life in Iceland during the settlement era. These are perfect for kids and big kids alike, so why not spend the afternoon here connecting with your inner Viking?
6. ReykjavĂk Maritime Museum
Location: Grandagarður 8, 101 ReykjavĂk
Opening hours: 10 a.m.â5 p.m. every day
As an island nation, Icelanders have developed a deep relationship with the sea. For centuries, fishing was the main industry and food source in Iceland. Even today, many remote villages around the country are dependent on fishing.
At the ReykjavĂk Maritime Museum, you can learn about the fishing history in Iceland from around 150 years ago. It was around then that large-scale fishing was first practiced. The museum also looks at the land-based industries that sprang up around the fisheries, such as boatmaking, sailmaking, and fish processing.
Fishing has always been a dangerous way to make a living, with men at sea for weeks or months at a time in often brutal conditions. Fishermen came up with different ways of keeping their spirits up and staying entertained, which you can also learn about here.
The museum is located in Grandi, the cityâs former fishpacking district. After an afternoon looking around the exhibition, you can stop off at the nearby Grandi Mathöll for dinner. This trendy food hall is one of dozens of great places to eat in the district. So support local and order some Icelandic fish!
7. SafnahĂșsið
Location: Hverfisgata 15, 101 ReykjavĂk
Opening hours: 10 a.m.â5 p.m. every day, closed Mondays
Now run by the National Gallery of Iceland, SafnahĂșsið or the âHouse of Collectionsâ is one of the most beautiful buildings in ReykjavĂk. It was designed in 1906 by a Danish architect, originally to house Icelandâs national library.
Over the years the building has been home to a number of institutions. Until recently it was known as the Culture House, or ĂjóðmenningarhĂșsið. Visit today and youâll find all sorts of art-focused exhibitions put together by the National Gallery and National Museum.
Check the galleryâs website for the latest info on whatâs on.
8. ReykjavĂk Art Museum
Location: Tryggvagata 17, 101 ReykjavĂk
Opening hours: 10 a.m.â5 p.m. every day, 10 a.m.â10 p.m. Thursdays
ReykjavĂk Art Museum is actually spread over 3 locations across the city, but its main gallery is on Tryggvagata in the heart of downtown. This gallery is housed in an old harbor warehouse, known as HafnarhĂșs, built in the modernist style.
Today itâs home to a permanent exhibition of works by ErrĂł, one of Icelandâs most famous painters. Known for his pop art style, he has produced over 4,000 works and donated many of them to the museum.
HafnarhĂșs doubles as a music venue. Itâs often used for the annual Iceland Airwaves festival as one of the main performance areas. So if youâre going to the festival, you might well drop in here by accident!
- Get the lowdown on festivals with our guide to events in Iceland.
9. Whales of Iceland

Location: Fiskislóð 23â25, 101 ReykjavĂk
Opening hours: 10 a.m.â5 p.m. every day
A stoneâs throw from the ReykjavĂk Maritime Museum, Whales of Iceland focuses on the biggest species found in Icelandic waters. Here you can get up close and personal with lifesize replicas of the main whale species found around Iceland.
Whales of Iceland offers a number of ways to learn about these majestic creatures. As well as the touchable lifesize models, there are interactive exhibits and a VR experience that takes you underwater. All this makes the museum a great family-friendly option.
10. Aurora ReykjavĂk

Location: Grandagarður 2, 101 ReykjavĂk
Opening hours: 9 a.m.â9 p.m. every day
The Northern Lights can sometimes be tricky to track down, even in perfect winter conditions. If you donât manage to see them for yourself, you can stop by Aurora ReykjavĂk. Here you can watch an immersive video experience of the lights in the museumâs aurora theater.
Youâll also learn about the significance of the Northern Lights in Icelandic culture. As scientists didnât properly understand what causes the aurora until the early 20th century, there are lots of myths around their origin and meaning.
If youâre planning to join a Northern Lights hunting tour, it might be worth a stop here beforehand for a photography class. Youâll get tips and tricks on how to take photos of these colorful ribbons as they dance across the sky!
Bonus: Perlan

Location: ĂskjuhlĂð, 105 ReykjavĂk
Opening hours: Exhibitions open 9 a.m.â7 p.m.
Whilst Perlan isnât technically a museum itself, itâs home to a few exhibitions that focus on Icelandic nature along with some other attractions.
- Check out our Travel Guide to learn more about Icelandâs nature & landscape.
You can see this huge domed building from many places all over ReykjavĂk. Itâs worth visiting for the view from the observation deck alone. Here you get a full panorama over the city and a glimpse of the Esja mountain beyond.
There are currently 6 nature-themed exhibits at Perlan, including a journey through a reconstructed ice cave and a replica of the LĂĄtrabjarg bird cliff in the Westfjords. Thereâs also an exhibit on Icelandic nature, as well as video shows on the Northern Lights and seas of Iceland.
Once youâve checked out the exhibits you can grab a bite to eat at the cafĂ© on the top floor. Itâs here that youâll also find Perlanâs newest attraction: a zipline! Probably best to eat after you fly down the zipline though.
How many museums are in ReykjavĂk?
Weâve listed just a handful of our favorite museums in ReykjavĂk, but Icelandâs capital is home to even more. Youâll also find museums in rural locations around the country, including along the south coast, in the Westman Islands, and in North Iceland.
- See more of the country on one of these Iceland vacation packages.
Are museums free in ReykjavĂk?
Most museums in Iceland charge a small admission fee to help support the museumâs work and preserve its collections. That said, some museums have free entry for kids!
Concessions are often available for students or elderly people, but check at the desk before you buy your ticket to be sure.
Are museums open on Sunday in ReykjavĂk?
Yes, most museums in ReykjavĂk are open on Sundays. Itâs always worth checking the opening hours in case you are planning to visit on a public holiday though. Also, itâs good to know that some museums in Iceland are closed on Mondays.
Planning your visit to ReykjavĂk
Every trip to Iceland should include a day or two in ReykjavĂk. As well as museums, it has exciting places to eat mixed with cozy cafĂ©s and cool bars. And in the evenings you can go for walks along the beautiful coast or unwind in one of the heated city pools.
If you take a multi-day tour from ReykjavĂk, youâll be based in the city and join different excursions into the countryside each day. This will give you plenty of time to explore everything the capital has to offer and get out into Icelandic nature.
And because multi-day tours are by bus, theyâre also a lower-carbon way to travel around Iceland.
Now that youâre itching to experience the best of ReykjavĂkâs culture, you can start planning your trip. With Iceland Tours, you can choose your own departure date and secure your booking with just a 5% deposit. So whatâs holding you back?
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