Gerðarsafn - photo: Sigga Marrow

Museums & Exhibitions

Despite Reykjavík's relatively small size, the capital area is renowned for its strong focus on arts and culture. Visitors to Reykjavík thus have a wide array of options for art museums, natural museums and history museums.

If you're interested in learning about Iceland and Reykjavík's history, exploring the city’s history museums is a must. Each one offers insights into our unique way of life, showcasing how we have thrived on this chilly northern island through the ages!

Reykjavík is also a hub for art enthusiasts, boasting a variety of art museums and galleries, both large and small, across the capital area. If you are interested in learning more about Iceland's expansive and stunning natural landscapes, visit our natural history museums and delve into facts about our nature and its inhabitants.

Icelanders have a deep love for literature! With the highest number of authors per capita, numerous book-related festivals, and Reykjavík being the first UNESCO City of Literature where English is not the native language, our dedication to books is evident. The renowned "Book-Flood-Before-Christmas" period, from early October to Christmas, is a time when new books flood the market. Bookstores, libraries, cafés, bars, schools, workplaces, and the media all promote these new releases, with the public actively engaging in events and discussions about the latest literary works. Whether you seek Icelandic fiction, books on our breathtaking nature, or simply need to print your itinerary, a visit to one of our libraries is a must!

What type of Museum are you looking for?

History Museums
Art Museums
Nature Museums
Libraries & Culture houses
History Museums
Art Museums
Nature Museums
Libraries & Culture houses

All museums and exhibitions in Reykjavík

Árbær Open Air Museum

Reykjavik’s open air museum, where you can stroll through the past and experience the way we live

Perlan Museum

Perlan houses a modern nature exhibition, a real indoor ice cave, a 4K planetarium, a 360° viewin

The Icelandic Phallological Museum

Housing the worldʹs largest collection of penises, the Icelandic Phallological Museum offers visi

Gljúfrasteinn

Gljúfrasteinn is a writer's home museum, which was the former home of Halldór Kiljan Laxness

Reykjavík Art Museum - Hafnarhús

The old harbour warehouse, Hafnarhús, offers a progressive exhibition program with local and inte

Aurora Reykjavík - The Northern Lights Center

Explore the world of the Northern Lights at Aurora Reykjavík, the first museum entirely dedicated

Maritime Museum

The Reykjavík Maritime Museum is located by the old harbour in Reykjavík, in a building that was

Whales of Iceland

The Whales of Iceland Exhibition consists of 23 man-made life-size models of the various whale sp

Gerðarsafn Art Museum

Gerðarsafn is a progressive museum with an emphasis on modern and contemporary art, located in the h

Museum of Design and Applied Art

The Museum of Design and Applied Art collects, preserves, researches and exhibits Icelandic desig

The National Museum of Iceland

The National Museum displays objects that provide insight into Icelandic cultural history - displ

Natural History Museum of Kópavogur

The Natural History Museum of Kópavogur is a part of the Kópavogur Cultural Houses.

Nesstofa Medical History Museum

The Medical History Museum Nesstofa is a specialized museum under the administration of the Natio

Reykjavík Museum of Photography

Reflecting the contemporary, while archiving the past – this is Reykjavík’s home of photography. Re

The Settlement Exhibition

Reykjavík, from settlement to the present day: The Settlement Exhibition – step into the

Saga Museum

From the time of the earliest settlers, history is brought to life in a unique and exciting way.&

Geothermal Exhibition

Experience firsthand how green, sustainable energy is produced at Iceland's largest geothermal po

Icelandic Saga & Heritage Association

ISHA – Icelandic Saga & Heritage Association was founded by 18 members in 2006.

Hafnarfjörður Museum

Hafnarfjörður Museum is a museum of cultural artefacts and photographs of Hafnarfjörður town.

Viðey Island

Unspoiled nature reigns on the island of Viðey, which has a unique place in Icelandic history.

Ásmundarsafn

The sculptor Ásmundur Sveinsson (1893–1982) designed, worked and lived in this beautiful building no

The Einar Jónsson Sculpture Museum

The Einar Jónsson Sculpture Museum opened on 24 June 1923, making it Iceland’s first public art m

Hafnarborg - the Hafnarfjörður Centre of Culture and Fine Art

Hafnarborg – the Hafnarfjörður Centre of Culture and Fine Art was founded in 1983, becoming the home

Mosfellsbær Art Hall

Mosfellsbær Art Hall, situated in the heart of Mosfellsbær City Area, resides within the Mosfells

Reykjavík Art Museum - Kjarvalsstaðir

Kjarvalsstaðir houses the works of one of Iceland’s most influential and recognised artists, Jóha

The House of Collections

The exhibition Treasures of a Nation in the House of Collections throws light on the invaluable coll

Sigurjón Ólafsson Museum

The Sigurjón Ólafsson Museum is dedicated to exhibiting works by the Icelandic sculptor, Sigurjón

Reykjavik Family Park and Zoo

Reykjavik Family Park and Zoo offers great fun all year round. Not just Farm Animals The Zoo has a

Water in Icelandic Nature | Icelandic Museum of Natural History

Water – all originated from outer space – is the foundation of life on Earth.

Elliðaárstöð

Destination of Energy and Nature in Reykjavík!

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