Museums and galleries in Iceland

Icelandic Museums & Galleries

Iceland’s museums offer a deep dive into the North Atlantic island’s evolution, from the Viking Age to modern geothermal innovation. This collection highlights the country's maritime heritage at the Herring Era and Víkin museums, while reconstructed farmsteads like Glaumbær and Laufás showcase traditional turf architecture. Natural history is represented through the life-sized models at Whales of Iceland and the Seal Center. Unique cultural insights are found at the Sorcerer Cottage and Eiríksstaðir, the former homestead of Erik the Red.

Milan Nykodym / CC BY-SA 2.0

Whales of Iceland

This exhibition features 23 life-size models of whale species found in Icelandic waters, including a 25-meter-long blue whale. The museum uses lighting and soundscapes to create an underwater atmosphere, complemented by interactive displays and virtual reality experiences.

Szilas / Public domain

Víkin Maritime Museum

The Reykjavik Maritime Museum, formerly Víkin Maritime Museum, is a maritime museum located by the old harbour in the capital of Iceland,…

free

Seal Center

Come here to see great exhibitions on seals and other Icelandic animals. It also serves as a Tourist Info Center.

TommyBee / Public domain

Glaumbær Museum

This preserved farmhouse from the mid 18th century now serves as an exhibition place - focusing on rural life in Iceland.

fingalo / CC BY-SA 2.0 de

Eriksstadir

Eiríksstaðir is the former homestead of Eiríkr Þorvaldsson, known as Erik the Red, in Haukadalur in the Dalasýsla region of Iceland.

Aliochad / CC BY-SA 3.0

Herring Era Museum

The Herring Era Museum is located in Siglufjörður, Iceland. It is Iceland's largest maritime museum and the only Icelandic museum to have…

CC-BY-SA

Stöng Commonwealth Farm

Þjóðveldisbærinn Stöng is a reconstructed viking-era farmstead in Iceland, located in the Þjórsárdalur valley near road 32 in Árnessýsla…

Santiago Puig Vilado… / CC BY-SA 3.0

Old Turfhouse Laufás

A preserved 19th-century manor farm and vicarage constructed from turf and stone. The site includes a timber church from 1865 and interiors furnished with period tools and household items that illustrate the daily lives of Icelandic farmers and clergy.

ThinkGeoEnergy / CC BY 2.0

Geothermal Energy Exhibition

Interactive exhibitions on geothermal energy.

The Sorcerer Cottage

Part of the Museum of Icelandic Sorcery and Witchcraft, this reconstructed 17th-century tenant farmer's dwelling demonstrates the harsh living conditions of the era. It focuses on the folklore and historical context of magic and witchcraft in the Westfjords.