Reykjavik · MUSEUMS
Good museum visits fill up weeks ahead and the great ones go first. Below: the 7 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
Perlan Museum brings Iceland’s fire and ice indoors. Walk through a real ice cave, learn about glaciers and wildlife, watch volcano and northern lights shows, then step onto the observation deck for wide views over Reykjavik. Your ticket is valid for two hours from first activation.
“The greeting, the planetarium, the restaurant all excellent beyond words.”
Start at Harpa Concert Hall, ride Reykjavík’s hop-on hop-off bus for 24 hours, and visit Perlan at your reserved time. You’ll get city views, an audio guide, and access to Iceland exhibits including a 100-metre ice cave, volcano displays, northern lights, and a 360-degree observation deck.
“Perlan is a not to be missed site to go to in Reykjavik. The Hop-On Hop-Off Bus is an activity I do in every city I visit and I have never regretted it. Always see so many different locations and sites. Gives you a good lay of the land!”
Walk among life-size models of 23 whale species found in Icelandic waters, then use interactive displays and a multilingual audio guide to learn how they live. Films in the Fin Whale Theatre include Whale Wisdom, narrated by Sir David Attenborough, and Sonic Sea, narrated by Rachel McAdams.
“Interesting experience. Interactive stations. Good for knowledge on whales and cetaceans.”
Use your Reykjavík museum ticket anytime within 365 days to follow Iceland’s story from the Settlement Age to today. See a year-1000 figure of Thor, medieval church art, Iceland’s first printed Bible, photographs, and temporary exhibits. Audio guides are available in 10 languages.
“We went on a Sunday and were lucky enough to see a large group of locals in authentic traditional dress. We had a marvelous time learning the history of Iceland and its people. Great exhibits with lots of interactive elements and detailed context.”
At Aurora Reykjavík, you’ll learn how the Northern Lights form, see a 30-minute 4K Iceland film on a 7-meter screen, try a 360° VR aurora experience, and practice camera settings. The self-guided visit takes about an hour and works well in summer or cloudy weather.
“If you’re visiting Iceland in summer, you won’t have an opportunity to catch them in nature, but you will see them here without any weather concerns. The museum is small but it packs in a lot of history and facts about the northern lights from mythology to science facts. You can listen as you go through QR codes, learn how to photograph the aurora, see a film showing off the aurora all over Iceland and have a VR experience. Definitely worth a look.”
Visit Reykjavik’s family-owned Phallological Museum, home to more than 300 phallus specimens from 120 species. You’ll learn about phallology, browse unusual donations from around the world, and may stop at the Phallus Café for themed waffles, cocktails, or local beer. English support is available.
Sail from Reykjavik’s Old Harbor into Faxaflói Bay with a live English-speaking guide, then visit Whales of Iceland’s 23 life-size models. Guides such as Lucas, Daniel, and Oskar have helped spot humpbacks, minkes, dolphins, and porpoises. Choose the order that suits your day.
“The thrill of searching for sea life and then anticipating where you'll see the next whale surface was brilliant. Although we only managed to see a young humpback whale on our trip, our guide was hilarious and kept spirits high with fun facts and information for all. Overalls and refreshments are avaliable on the boat, which is very handy, I would highly recommend this trip as we both enjoyed it.”
Pick a road out, a boat or a hot spring.
