Reykjavíkin piilotetut helmet

Hidden Gems

Explore Reykjavík’s unconventional side through a collection of specialized museums and striking public art. This list includes a punk music archive housed in a converted public toilet, a museum featuring 23 life-sized whale models, and the world’s largest collection of phallological specimens. Architectural highlights range from the sculptural, recycled-metal "Raven’s Nest" to the modernist Kópavogur Church. The selection is rounded out by the "Unknown Bureaucrat," a satirical bronze and volcanic rock sculpture located near the city center.

Milan Nykodym / CC BY-SA 2.0

A

Whales of Iceland

Located in the Grandi harbor area, this museum displays 23 life-sized, hand-painted models of whale species found in Icelandic waters. The exhibition includes interactive stations and underwater soundscapes focused on marine biology and conservation.

Ziko van Dijk / CC BY-SA 4.0

B

Icelandic Punk Museum

Housed in a former underground public restroom, this museum documents the evolution of Iceland’s punk and new wave scenes from the 1970s. The compact space features photographs, posters, and musical memorabilia from the local movement.

Karel Stojaspal / CC-BY-SA

C

The Icelandic Phallological Museum

The Icelandic Phallological Museum, located in Reykjavík, Iceland, houses the world's largest display of penises and penile parts.

Ypsilon from Finland / CC0

D

Kopávogur Church

Kópavogskirkja is a church in Kópavogur, Iceland. It is located on Borgarholt hill at the top of Kársnes and offers a great view over…

Michelle Jonas / CC-BY-SA

E

Raven's Nest

A private residence and open-air studio created by filmmaker Hrafn Gunnlaugsson. The site is an extensive sculptural installation constructed primarily from recycled scrap metal, industrial parts, and driftwood along the coastline.

Christine Zenino / CC BY 2.0

F

Unknown Bureaucrat

This 1994 sculpture by Magnús Tómasson depicts a man in a suit carrying a briefcase, with his upper torso and head replaced by a massive, unhewn block of volcanic rock. It stands near the Reykjavík City Hall.