Step into the Viking Age on Laugavegur Mink Viking Portrait at Laugavegur 11 offers a unique photo and cultural experience. Guests step into the Viking Age in a custom-built studio in downtown Reykjavík. Visitors wear handcrafted costumes, carry real weapons and are photographed by experts with film industry experience. The experience has topped TripAdvisor for over a decade and holds …
Old Icelandic Books
Unique access to Icelandic ancient books Old Icelandic Books offers a rare cultural experience where guests explore Icelandic ancient books and manuscripts in an intimate and hands-on way. The visit is based on one of the most remarkable private collections in Iceland, giving guests the chance to hold history literally in their own hands. The collector guides guests through the …
Your Friend in Reykjavik
Personal and informative walking tours in Reykjavík Your Friend in Reykjavik offers personal and informative walking tours in the heart of Iceland’s capital, where stories, music, folklore and everyday city life blend with good atmosphere, food and Icelandic hospitality. The guides are true local experts – lively storytellers who make the city experience engaging, accessible and enjoyable. Expert guiding with …
CityWalk Reykjavík
CityWalk offers daily walking tours in Reykjavík where history, culture and fun come together. The company is well known for its free guided tours and customised experiences for groups. Daily walking tours in downtown Reykjavík CityWalk provides daily guided walking tours in Reykjavík for travellers and private groups. The company was founded in 2014 by Marteinn Briem and has from …
The Geothermal Exhibition
Experience the power of geothermal energy The Geothermal Exhibition at Hellisheiði Power Plant invites visitors to discover how renewable energy is created. Here you can see how Iceland’s largest geothermal power station produces electricity and hot water for the capital area. The exhibition is a vivid example of sustainable energy utilisation in action. Visible geothermal energy – from power to …
Elliðaá Power Station
A living destination of energy and nature Elliðaá Power Station is a unique blend of history, nature and innovation in the heart of Reykjavík. Set within Elliðaárdalur valley, one of the city’s most beloved outdoor areas, the station highlights how water power once electrified Reykjavík and how creativity and knowledge continue to drive the community today. Elliðaárdalur – a natural …
The Museum of Design and Applied Art
Icelandic Design from 1900 to Today The Museum of Design and Applied Art, founded in 1998, is a dynamic museum that enhances awareness, inspires and creates opportunities related to Icelandic design by collecting, archiving and sharing Icelandic design from the year 1900 to the present day. The museum serves as a platform for a community that is involved in these …
Lava Show in Reykjavík
A Unique Lava Experience in the Heart of Reykjavík Lava Show in Reykjavík offers an extraordinarily close encounter with real molten lava flowing in a safe, controlled environment. The show blends nature, science, and storytelling in a vivid and engaging way, giving visitors insight into Iceland’s volcanic activity and how lava is formed. This is a rare opportunity to experience …
Gljúfrasteinn – Laxness Museum
The Nobel Prize Winner Halldór Laxness (1902–1998) was the leading Icelandic author of the 20th century. During his lifetime, he witnessed the greatest social changes in Iceland’s history, from a traditional farming society to modern life. When he received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1955, the nation united around him as a symbol of Icelandic culture and literature. Today, …
Bessastaðir Presidental Residence
The Heart of Icelandic History Bessastaðir on Álftanes has been a key site in Icelandic history for centuries. Settlement here began in the Viking Age, and the place has remained important ever since. It has shaped Iceland’s governance, education, and cultural life from early times to today. From Settlement to the Commonwealth Archaeological research shows that people settled at Bessastaðir …
The Institute of Archaeology
Research, documentation and education in Icelandic archaeology The Institute of Archaeology is a leading organisation in Icelandic archaeology. It has always emphasised high‑quality research, strong collaboration and clear communication. The Institute aims to deepen understanding of Iceland’s cultural heritage through scientific methods, transparency and steady development of the discipline. Archaeological surveys and excavations across Iceland Since 1993, the Institute has …
World in Words – Manuscript Exhibition at Edda
Experience the Middle Ages At the exhibition World in Words – Manuscript Exhibition at Edda, visitors can explore Icelandic medieval manuscripts that preserve a remarkable cultural heritage. These works contain stories, poems, and diverse texts reflecting how earlier generations understood life and society. The exhibition places particular emphasis on the manuscripts’ content and their connection to Iceland’s history. The Árni …
The Cultural Heritage Agency
The Role of the Cultural Heritage Agency of Iceland The Cultural Heritage Agency of Iceland is the national authority for cultural heritage. It operates under the Ministry of the Environment, Energy and Climate. The agency carries out heritage protection in line with the 2013 Cultural Heritage Act. It aims to safeguard the nation’s cultural and historical heritage. It works to …
The Wapp – hiking app
Digital guidance for hikers across Iceland The Wapp – hiking app offers a wide range of GPS‑based trail descriptions across Iceland, with information on place names, stories, nature and the environment. All routes are built on Samsýn’s mapping system and can be downloaded to your phone for use offline, ensuring safety and access anywhere in the country. Trail descriptions with …
Viking World
Viking History and Seafaring Traditions Viking World on the Reykjanes Peninsula is an impressive, educational museum where visitors can explore Viking history, the seafaring traditions of the Norse people and their culture through engaging visual exhibitions. The museum’s centrepiece is the Viking ship Íslendingur, built by master craftsman Gunnar Marel Eggertsson from the Westman Islands. The ship gained international attention …
The Heritage Museum at Garðskagi
History, Cultural Heritage and Nature at Garðskagi The Heritage Museum at Garðskagi, founded in 1995, stands on a beautiful museum site beside Garðskagi Lighthouse in Suðurnesjabær. The area is part of the Reykjanes Geopark, listed by UNESCO for its geological significance and its focus on conservation, education and sustainable development. From here, there is a wide‑open view in all directions, …
Hofsstaðir Historic Park
Archaeology and History of Hofsstaðir Hofsstaðir in Garðabær is a key settlement‑era archaeological site. A large longhouse stood here from the settlement period until the 12th century. Excavations began in 1994 and revealed extensive, well‑preserved remains. These remains show how housing, daily life and society developed in early Iceland. The Settlement Longhouse at Hofsstaðir The longhouse at Hofsstaðir dates from …
Rimmugýgur Viking Club
Iceland’s Oldest Active Viking Club The Viking Club Rimmugýgur in Hafnarfjörður is the oldest and largest active Viking organisation in Iceland. Founded in 1997, the club takes its name from the famous axe of Skarphéðinn Njálsson in the Saga of Burnt Njáll. It aims to promote interest in the Viking Age, its culture and the origins of the Icelandic people …
Hey Iceland – Farmers’ Travel Service
Travel in Icelandic Countryside Comfort Hey Iceland – Farmers’ Travel Service offers trusted rural tourism across Iceland. The company has over 35 years of experience. It connects travellers with nature, culture and peaceful countryside life. Guests enjoy varied accommodation and activities in calm and beautiful surroundings. A Long History and Strong Connection to Farmers Farmers’ Travel Service was founded in …
Hafnarfjörður Museum
Living Town History – Exhibitions Reflecting Culture and Community Life Hafnarfjörður Museum preserves and presents the cultural history of the town through diverse exhibitions that reflect the lives, work and community of the people of Hafnarfjörður from the 19th century to today. Across seven exhibition sites, visitors can experience both everyday life and the stories of influential figures who shaped …
The Settlement Exhibition in Aðalstræti
The Story Comes Alive Through Multimedia and Technology The Settlement Exhibition in Aðalstræti is based on archaeological research in the centre of Reykjavík. Visitors learn about the earliest settlement in the area. A 10th‑century longhouse ruin at Aðalstræti 16 is the heart of the exhibition. It was discovered during construction at the corner of Aðalstræti and Túngata. North of the …
Árbær Open Air Museum
Historic Houses and a Living Heritage Site Árbæjarsafn is an open‑air museum in Reykjavík where around twenty historic buildings and the turf farm Árbær create a charming setting reminiscent of a town square, a village and rural Iceland. Visitors can walk through the houses and explore architecture, daily life and the living conditions of people in old Reykjavík. Exhibitions That …
Reykjavík Maritime Museum
The Reykjavík Maritime Museum bears witness to the importance of fishing in Icelandic history; the museum building used to be a thriving fish factory. The new permanent and recent exhibition, “Fish & Folk – 150 years of fisheries,” covers fishing off Iceland since rowboats were replaced by large fishing vessels in the last decades of the 19th century and the …
National Museum of Iceland
Discover Iceland’s Cultural Heritage The National Museum of Iceland preserves and communicates 1,200 years of the nation’s history through living exhibitions, artifacts, and narratives that reflect the development of society from the settlement era to the present day. The permanent exhibition „A Nation is Born – Culture and Society over 1,200 Years“ In this popular permanent exhibition, visitors can explore …
Saga Museum
At the height of the Age of the Sturlungs, chieftain Gissur Þorvaldsson raises his axe, ready to kill his arch enemy, Sturla Sighvatsson. With a crazed look in her eyes, explorer Freydís Eiríksdóttir slaps a sword against her naked breast to scare hostile “barbarians” in Vinland away. Law-speaker Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði lies under his fur blanket, racking his brain for a …
Duus Museum
The Duus Museum Hub consists of a series of buildings that reflect the rich history and culture of the area. The oldest building, Bryggjuhúsið (The Pier House), was constructed by Duus Trading Company in 1877, while the newest building dates back to 1954. These former trading and fish processing houses have been renovated and now host exhibition spaces for the …
Museum of Rock’n’ Roll
Many people know Icelandic artists such as the Sucarcubes, Björk, Sigur Rós and Of Monsters and Men. What’s their story? What’s their background? And how did these bands become so successful coming from the tiny population of Iceland? At the Icelandic Museum of Rock ‘n’ Roll in Reykjanesbær, only 6 km from Keflavik Airport, you can walk through the history …