The Icelandic Sheepdog Heritage Center in Skagafjörður is a unique exhibition dedicated to the national dog of Iceland. The center’s mission is to preserve and share the history of the Icelandic Sheepdog and make it visible and accessible to everyone. The center opened in May 2025 after three years of preparatory work by cultural scientist Evelyn Ýr, who lives at …
Upper Árnessýsla Region
The Upper Árnessýsla Region boasts numerous fascinating destinations, from natural wonders and historical sites to little-known hidden gems. Iconic locations such as Þingvellir National Park, Gullfoss waterfall, and the Geysir hot spring area are must-visit attractions for many travelers. Other popular destinations include the Kerið volcanic crater, Lake Úlfljótsvatn, Brúarhlöð canyon, Haukadalur woods, Lake Laugarvatn, and the historic site of …
Vatnsdalur and Þingeyrakirkja
Vatnsdalur (‘Lake Valley’) is located just south of the Ring Road. As well as being well vegitated, the valley is known for its countless hillocks, one of Iceland’s best salmon river and Vatnsdæla Saga, one of the sagas of the Icelanders. Vatnsdæla chronicles the lives of the valley’s original settlers from Norway and their descendants. Get to know the saga …
The Textile Museum
The Textile Museum in Blönduós exhibits a unique collection of homemade wool and textile, beautiful Icelandic national costumes and artistic embroideries along with many of the tools and equipments used to produce them. It was founded by the Women’s Union in the area. Today, it is situated in a beautiful new building and the exhibitions are easily accessible for visitors. …
The Geothermal Exhibition
The Geothermal Exhibition invites visitors to experience first-hand how renewable energy is produced at Iceland’s largest geothermal power plant, ON Power’s Hellisheiði plant. The plant produces electricity for Iceland’s national grid and hot water for the capital region. Visitors are invited to learn about the history of geothermal resources and sustainable energy in Iceland through a variety of displays. The …
The Lava Tunnel
Explore the magnificent lava tunnel Raufarhólshellir, one of the longest and best-known lava tubes in Iceland. It is located just 30 minutes from Reykjavík and is easily accessed year round. The total length of the tunnel is an impressive 1360 m (4500 ft), the main tunnel being 900 m (3000 ft) long. The tunnel is up to 30 m wide …
Elliðaárstöð Power Station
Elliðaárdalur valley is a unique natural gem in the heart of Reykjavík and one of the city’s most popular outdoor areas, where you can enjoy salmon fishing, horseback riding, cycling, skiing, mini golf, hiking and running. The valley is characterised by diverse nature, landscape, geology and vegetation, where bird and animal life is diverse. The Elliðaá rivers are the only …
Iceland Design Museum
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 matters and utilizes access to the …
Lava Show in Vík
Come and experience THE ICELANDIC LAVA SHOW in the heart of Vík, the charming town nestled in the midst of Katla UNESCO Global Geopark, surrounded by volcanoes, glaciers, and black sand beaches. The building was originally built for the local grocery store but was renovated completely for the purpose of the lava show and restaurant inside with the aim of creating a modern …
Lava Show in Reykjavík
LAVA SHOW recreates a volcanic eruption by superheating real lava up to 1100°C (2000°F) and then pouring it into a showroom full of people. Once the lava enters the showroom, the temperature instantly rises and from the safety of their seats, our guests can clearly see, smell, hear and feel the intense heat from the lava. The lava originates from the 1918 …
Leader Sheep Centre
The Leader Sheep Centre in Þistilfjörður North-Iceland is unique. It is impossible to find a similar museum as Iceland is the only country in the world where Leader Sheep exists. The leadership-sheep breed and Icelandic sheep-herding have been joined by unbreakable bonds since the beginning of settlement in Iceland. They are known best for their leadership characteristics. The Leader Sheep …
Gljúfrasteinn – Laxness Museum
Halldór Laxness (1902-1998), winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1955, stands head and shoulders above the other Icelandic writers of the 20th century. He was prolific during his long career, writing 13 major novels, five plays and a dramatisation of one of his novels, not to mention his collections of short stories, essays and memoirs. His books have …
Akranes Folk Museum
Akranes Folk Museum opened the doors to a new and renovated exhibition in the spring of 2021 and was the exhibition nominated for the Icelandic Museum Awards 2022. The exhibition discovers everyday life in Akranes and Hvalfjarðarsveit and the development from a farmers and fishing village in the 17th century to a modern day society in the 21st century. The exhibition …
The French Museum
The avant-garde exhibition in The French Museum in Fáskrúðsfjörður is the newest of Fjarðabyggð’s museums and collections. This museum is located in two stately buildings, the Doctor’s House and the French Hospital as they are called, built by the French fishermen around 1900. However, the main attraction of the exhibition is situated in a tunnel that connects the two buildings. …
Icelandic Sea Monster Museum
Tales of sea monsters have played a colourful role in Icelandic folk culture for centuries and thousands of written accounts can be found all around the country. Today, these elusive creatures that still appear in Arnafjörður have been given a worthy home at the Icelandic Sea Monster Museum, in Arnarfjörður fjord, proclaimed to be one of the most prolific centers …
Ósvör Maritime Museum
On the seaside of Bolungarvík is the Ósvör Maritime Museum, a fascinating exhibit built on the ruins of old fishing huts from the 19th century. Lovingly restored, its highlight is a replica of a six-man rowing boat, Ölver, among the oldest of its kind in the country. The museum also features a salt house, fish sheds, a fish drying area …
Litlibær in Skötufjörður
The story of the two families who together created Litlibær farm in Skötufjordur fjord in 1895 is typical of poor people who made a start empty-handed but succeeded by efficiency and hard work to rise to self-sufficiency and provide for large families. They lived off the land but also harvested much more from the sea and its rich fishing grounds. …
War and Peace Museum
The War & Peace Museum in Hvalfjörður (Whale Fjord) opened in 2012. It traces a unique and remarkable history of occupation from 1940 to 1945, a story that transformed a more peaceful countryside into a setting for world events and was crucial to the Allies’ victory during World War II. Here you can see an elaborate collection of monuments and …
The Fishermen’s Garden
Hellissandur is one of the oldest fishing villages in Iceland. In the olden times, there was a big fishing centre there, with some 60 seasonal fishermen’s huts back in the year 1700. The Fishermen’s Garden was established by local fishermen in 1977-78 and depicts the way fishermen lived and worked. There is both a Maritime Museum and a Fishermen’s Garden …
Hnjótur Museum
Hnjótur Museum in Örlygshöfn in Patreksfjörður, displays a unique collection of old items from the Southern Westfjords. The museum shows the history of fishing, farming and everyday life in the area. At the museum is an exhibition about the heroic rescue of the British trawler Dhoon that stranded at Látrabjarg cliffs in 1947. At the site is also cafeteria, souvenir …
The Sheep Farming Museum
The Sheep Farming Museum (established in 2002), just 12 km south of Hólmavík, is an interesting and entertaining exhibition about the Icelandic sheep and sheep farming. The exhibition focuses on providing diverse entertainment for all ages. The children can enjoy themselves in their own room, in which are toys and colour books, while the grown-ups can view the exhibition. The …
Museum of Sorcery & Witchcraft
The 17th century was a dark time in Iceland’s history when the horror of the European witchcraft craze swept over the country with accompanying persecution. Over 200 witchcraft cases arose and over 21 people were burned for witchcraft. The Museum of Sorcery & Witchcraft combines the history of magic with knowledge about magic in Iceland and how it appears in …
The Herring Era Museum
The Herring Era Museum is the largest maritime museum in Iceland, with five exhibition buildings, 2500 square meters in total. Róaldsbrakki, a former Norwegian salting station was built in 1907. The ‘brakki’ in itself is a grand monument to the Norwegian influence in the Icelandic herring industry. On the ground floor there is an exhibition focused on fishing and salting …
Oddi in Rangárvellir
Oddi in Rangárvellir is one of the main historical sites in Iceland, and there has been a church there since in the 11th century. The most famous of the Oddi clan was Sæmundur ‘the wise’ Sigfússon (1056-1133), who studied in Paris. Various legends have been created about Sæmundur. Then he was probably the first Icelandic historian that wrote a book …
The Arctic Fox Centre
The Arctic Fox Centre in Súðavík is a non-profit research and exhibition centre, focusing on the arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus), the only native terrestrial mammal in Iceland. It opened in 2010 in the rebuilt Eyrardalur House ( from 1896). It´s aim is to collect in one place all the knowledge, materials and objects related to the Arctic Fox in the …
Icelandic Emigration Center
The Icelandic Emigration Center in the village Hofsós was founded in 1996 to honour Icelanders who immigrated to North America between 1850 and 1914. The goal of the center is to tell the story of the people who left and strengthen the ties between their descendants and their relatives in Iceland. The Emigration Center offers four exhibitions in three buildings …
Hólar in Hjaltadalur
Hólar in Hjaltadalur is a historic place, surrounded by majestic mountains. The site is one of the main centers of culture and education in Iceland for nearly a thousand years. There was a bishop’s seat from 1106 to 1798. There you can find both the University of Hólar and the Hólar Cathedral, which is the oldest stone church in Iceland …
Skyrland in Selfoss
Skyrland exhibition is located in The Old Dairy, part of the newly opened Selfoss Centre. From the first settlers, struggling to survive the freezing winters, to the 21st century kitchen table, skyr is woven through the story of a nation. A journey of sights, scents and tastes, you’ll discover a 1000-year story of how a Viking dairy product became a …
The Wilderness Center
Visiting The Wilderness Center, in Fljótsdalur valley, is an adventure. As soon as guests park their cars and cross the old wooden bridge at the center, they step into the past. Every detail at the premises has been remade in the original style to make the visitor feel as if taking part in an adventure of the past. The buildings, …
EDDA – Manuscript exhibition
The Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies (Árnastofnun) is an independently funded academic research institute at the University of Iceland, operating under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture and Business Affairs. Its role is to conduct research in the field of Icelandic studies and related scholarly disciplines, in particular, Icelandic language and literature; to disseminate knowledge in these fields; …
Skálinn – Viking Center
In Skálinn – Viking Center, in the village of Þingeyri, you can play settlers and immerse yourself in their daily lives. Dress up in hand-stitched clothing from the Viking Age and bake bread over an open fire. In the reception hall, which has been decorated in Viking style, people have a unique opportunity to get to know the conditions and …
Viking World
The uniquely attractive Viking World houses the Viking ship, Íslendingur, built by the craftsman-captain, Gunnar Marel Eggertsson, who sailed it to New York in the year 2000. There are also three exciting exhibits and during summers, among other things is a ‘Settlement Zoo’ on the surrounding grounds. The Viking ship Íslendingur is an exact replica of the Gaukstad ship, and …
The Heritage Museum at Garðskagi
The Heritage Museum at Garðskagi (Byggðasafnið á Garðskaga) is located in a beautiful museum area by Garðskagaviti Lighthouse in Suðurnesjabær, on the Reykjanes Peninsula in the unique Reykjanes Geopark. There is a panoramic view in all directions, hiking trails by the shore, diverse bird life and the sea in its ever-changing form and whales often seen close to the shore. …
Bustarfell Museum
In the beautiful valley, Hofsárdalur, stands the old family seat of Bustarfell. This sod farm, with its red poles and grassy roof, is one of the oldest and best preserved turf house of its kind in Iceland. In 1532, Árni Brandsson and his wife Úlfheiður bought Bustarfell. Since then, the same family has lived there all along. Emphasis is placed …
Múlastofa in Vopnafjörður
In the old house Kaupvangur in Vopnafjörður (from 1882), the cultural center of the village, is the interesting Múlastofa exhibition. It´s dedicated to two brothers from the region that were well known in Iceland in the latter half of the 20st century, Jónas and Jón Múli sons of Árni. Jón Múli (1921-2002) was known as a reporter on the Icelandic …
Jón Sigurðsson Museum
Located in the stunning Arnarfjörður in the West Fjords, Hrafnseyri celebrates the life and work of Jón Sigurðsson (1811-1879), the leader of the 19th century Icelandic Independence movement, who was born and raised at the farm. In 2011, on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of Jon’s birth, a new exhibition, “For the Good of the Nation – Jón Sigurðsson …
Westfjords Heritage Museum
The Westfjords Heritage Museum is situated at the tip of the small spit on which the town of Ísafjörður is located. The museum building is one of four 18th century houses that have been renovated and are now amongst the town’s biggest tourist attritions. The town of Ísafjörður was established and based on the fishing industry; therefore it is only …
Hafnarfjörður Museum
The Hafnarfjörður Museum hosts seven exhibitions in. In Pakkhúsið (The Storage House), The Sívertsen House, the Bookless Bungalow, Siggubær (House of Sigga), Beggubúð (Store of Begga), Guttó and on Strandstíg (Coastal path). At the exhibition „That’s how it was…“ in Pakkhúsið, the history of Hafnarfjörður and its surroundings is traced from the settlement to the present day with the help …
Agricultural Museum of Iceland
In Hvanneyri, the heart of the Borgarfjörður countryside, you’ll find the Agricultural Museum of Iceland. This is the perfect place to learn about the Icelandic agriculture’s significant history, observe old tools and equipment, and think about farming’s future developments. The museum puts particular emphasis on the early technological era. Among its most notable objects are tools used in Iceland’s first …
The Settlement Exhibition in Aðalstræti
Just below ground in Aðalstræti 16 in downtown Reykjavík, this open excavation uncovers the city’s Viking Age history. Discovered during building work in 2001, these archaeological remains turned out to be the earliest evidence of human settlement in the city, with some dating to before AD 871±2. Careful excavation revealed a 10th-century hall or longhouse, which is now preserved in …
Árbær Open Air Museum
Árbær Open Air Museum in Reykjavík is a museum with about 20 houses from different periods, including the old turf farm Árbær. Together, they form a village and countryside. Visitors learn how Reykjavík developed from a few scattered farms into the capital of Iceland. They can walk around the village and enter the old houses for an insight into the …
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 …
Laufás Turf Farm
The old turf farm Laufás, on the east coast of Eyjafjörður, is part of the National Museum’s collection of buildings but managed by the Akureyri Museum. There, visitors can learn about traditional Icelandic architecture and country life. The oldest part of the farm dates back to the 16th century, but the current interior has been maintained since the early 1800s. …
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 …
Sauðanes House
The old stone house at Sauðanes (Sauðaneshús) is an old church estate 7 km north of the village Þórshöfn. The vicarage, which was built in 1879 from grey basalt which originated far from the area, is the region’s oldest stone house. Today it houses an exhibition showcasing how life was in Langanes during the time when Sauðaneshús was inhabited and …
Snartarstaðir Folk Museum
Snartarstaðir, close to the village Kópasker, is the folk museum of Norður – Þingeyjarsýsla county and presents a unique collection of local objects and handicrafts from the 19th and 20th centuries. The exhibition is characterized by two different collections; one is the large amount of all sorts of handicrafts, embroidery, woven items, knitted clothing, and other handicrafts, and the other …
Húsavík Museum
The Þingeyjarsýsla County Culture Center encompasses four different but equally fascinating museums. Husavik Museum (Safnahúsið) has two permanent exhibitions. In the Maritime Museum old boats and tools are on display and visitors can watch a documentary to gain insight into the lives and work of fishermen in centuries past. The second one, “Man and Nature – 100 years in Þingeyjarsýslur”, …
Skriðuklaustur Cultural Center
The drive along Fljótsdalur (“river valley”) is a bit like travelling back in time. Skriðuklaustur in Fljótsdalur valley is a historical site with the ruins of a 16th century monastery which was revealed in an archaeological excavation in the years 2002-2012. It was an Augustinian cloister, established around 1493 and in function until the reformation in 1550. The cloister was …
East Iceland Heritage Museum
Since reindeer were imported to Iceland in the late 18th century, they have lived wild in East Iceland and significantly impacted the region’s nature and culture. The exhibition in East Iceland Heritage Museum, “Reindeer in East Iceland”, covers their habitat, biology, behaviour, life-cycle and the hazards they face, as well as research, hunting and reindeer products. Visitors can also watch …
Eldheimar – Volcano Museum
Imagine what it was like waking up in the middle of the night to a volcanic eruption in your town! Eldheimar, a volcano museum of remembrance in Westman-Islands, traces the story of the 1973 eruption with a powerful and moving interactive exhibition. Almost all the inhabitants of Heimaey, over 5.000 people, had to leave their homes in the middle of …
Sagnheimar, Westman Islands
Sagnheimar is a complex of museums scattered around town, including a folk museum and natural history museum. Inside the folk museum there is a pier where visitors can listen to stories of sea accidents, search and rescue, sailor songs, and observe a bait shed and a bird hunters’ hut. The museum gives a good insight into the unique history of …
Langabúð in Djúpivogur
Built in 1790 (the northern part in 1850), Langabúð is the oldest house in Djúpivogur and one of the country’s oldest standing commercial buildings. The present building was erected on older foundations which were located where the Djúpivogur trading post had always been since it was opened by German merchants in 1589. Langabúð now facilitates an interesting heritage museum, and …
Hornafjörður Museums
Within the Hornafjörður Cultural Center, there are the museums of the Municipality of Hornafjörður: the regional, maritime, and natural history museum, Svavarssafn- Art Museum, library and the district archives. Svavarssafn – Art museum. Svavar Guðnason, an abstract painter, was born in Höfn in Hornafjörður in 1909. He is considered one of the most important painters in Iceland in the 20th …
Thorbergur Museum in Hali
The Thorbergur Museum (Þórbergssetur) is dedicated to one of Iceland’s most prominent authors in the 20st century, Þórbergur Þórðarson (1888-1974). The centre is dedicated to his life and work, is easily recognizable due to the gigantic books that adorn one of its outside walls. It’s an adventurous place to visit for travellers of all ages. In addition to providing an …
Kirkjubaejarklaustur
In 1186 a nunnery was founded by the Benedictine Order in Kirkjubær, now called Kirkjubæjarklaustur, and it was active until 1554. German legend tells of disobedient nuns who were supposed to have been burned at the top of Systrastapi. Lake Systravatn and the Systrafoss waterfall above the building are also named after these sisters. In 1995-2006, archaeological excavations were carried …
Skógar Museum
Skógar Museum actually includes three museum: Folk Museum, Open Air Museum and Technical Museum. The Open Air Museum has a large site, which includes examples of many periods of Icelandic architectural history. It´s forming a village, including an ancient turf farm, a school from the early 20th century and other historic houses. The diverse exhibitions inside the Folk Museum help visitors …
The Commonwealth Farm
The stately farm Stöng used to stand in the fertile Þjórsárdalur valley, until a disastrous eruption from volcano Hekla in 1104 destroyed it. However, the longhouse was preserved under layers of ash. When it was excavated and studied by archaeologists, it provided valuable historical information about life during the Icelandic Commonwealth in 11th–century Iceland. The Commonwealth Farm which is located …
Árnessýsla Heritage Museum
History comes to life at Árnessýsla Heritage Museum’s diverse exhibitions in Eyrarbakki, Southwest Iceland. The Museum is made up of different historical houses which tell the story of Eyrarbakki’s inhabitants. Eyrarbakki is on the edge of the Golden Circle. Húsið, or “The House,” earned this simple title because when it was constructed in 1765, it towered above the surrounding huts …
Skálholt
Experience Skálholt’s 1000-year history. Skálholt is Iceland’s first episcopal established in 1056. Skálholt served as the country’s capital for 750 years. It was a centre of administrative power, higher education and culture. Around the year 1200, over 100 people lived in Skálholt, making it the country’s first population centre. In the cathedral basement is an exhibition on Skálholt’s history by …
The Cave People
Laugarvatnshellar are manmade caves between Þingvellir National Park and Laugarvatn Lake on the Golden Circle. Their origin is somewhat of a mystery. They were possibly made by the Irish monks (called Papar) who lived in Iceland before the Norse settlers arrived in late 9th century. About 100 years ago, a young couple lived in the caves with their two children …
Thingvellir National Park
A Historic Heart of the Icelandic Nation Thingvellir National Park is one of Iceland’s most important historical sites. Here, the story of the nation and the land comes together in a unique way. The Alþingi, Iceland’s national assembly, was founded at Thingvellir in the year 930 and met here for nearly nine centuries. Many key events in Icelandic history took …
The Settlement Center
The Settlement Center in Borgarnes takes visitors on a magical journey through Egil’s saga and the story of Iceland’s settlement; two interesting exhibitions. The Egil´s exhibition is dedicated to Egill Skallagrímsson, poet, warrior, and one of the Icelandic sagas’ most colorful characters in the 10th century. The exhibition takes visitors through the magical and mythical storyline of Egil’s saga. Scenes …
Eiríksstaðir
Warm yourself up by the long fire in the reconstructed longhouse in Eiríksstaðir and listen to a storyteller in Viking clothing tell about the inhabitants. The place can be called the „cradle of new worlds“ because it was here that Eirik The Red built a farm and started a family with his wife Þjóðhildur. Eirik was later the first Norseman to settle …
The Leif Eiriksson Center
The Leif Eiriksson Center in Búðardalur in Dalir is edicated to explorer Leif the Lucky and his father Eric the Red. The exhibiton traces the Saga of the Greenlanders and the Saga of Erik the Red, documenting their discoveries of parts of Greenland and North America. According to the tale, Leif arrived in America in the year 1000 AD, about …
Kakalaskáli in Skagafjörður
Experience the Age of the Sturlungs through the history and art exhibition in Kakalaskáli in Skagafjörður. The so-called Age of the Sturlungs was a period of repeated armed struggles between the main ruling clans in Iceland who fought for power. Travel back to the civil war in 13th century Iceland and picture the ruling clans clashing at Haugsnes in North Iceland …
Museum of Prophecies
What does the future behold? Have your fortune told at the Museum of Prophecies in Skagaströnd in Northwest Iceland and learn about Þórdís the fortune-teller, the place’s first named inhabitant. Þórdís was not only known for her supernatural abilities, but she was also the foster mother of Þorvaldur the far traveller, Iceland’s first missionary, and her name appears in a …
Glaumbær Museum
According to sources, a farm has existed on the land of Glaumbær since the Age of Settlement around 900 AD. One of its most famous residents was Snorri Þorfinnsson, the first European to be born in North America, around 1000. The present buildings vary in age; the most recent addition was built 1876-79 and the oldest in the mid-18th century. …
Snorrastofa in Reykholt
Snorrastofa is an independent research centre established in 1995. The centre is located in Reykholt in western Iceland, the main residence of Iceland’s greatest medieval writer, poet, scholar and statesman, Snorri Sturluson (1179-1241). Its main task is to instigate and conduct research on the medieval period in general, and Snorri and his works in particular. It is one of Iceland’s …