Iceland · MUSEUMS
The 15 best museum visits you can book right now, with what each costs, how long it really takes and who it suits. Number one is top for a reason; start there.
Hop-on, hop-off Reykjavík bus plus timed Perlan entry. See Ice Cave wonders and 360 views, all with a 24-hour ticket.
“I highly recommend to take Part on the Guided Tours in Perlan, especially the Vulcano Tour👍👍”
Reykjavik’s Whales of Iceland museum shows 23 life-size whale species with interactive exhibits, audio guide, and included theatre films.
“A very short but thoroughly enjoyable Museum. The atmosphere is very peaceful and chill. The exhibits are breathtaking. And there is a coffee shop at the end :)”
Go inside Reykjavik’s National Museum of Iceland with Viking-era treasures, a Thor relic, and a timeline from settlement to modern life.
“I will show the photos i’ve taken in this museum to my future generations.”
Aurora Reykjavík in Reykjavik delivers an hour of northern lights science, 360° VR, and photo tips for $33, indoors.
“Amazing insightful museum! The staff was very helpful in explaining the history, research and process that needs to occur to see northern lights. Realize that some of it is patience and luck. The VR devices were super fun checking out the amazing colors/shapes and sizes from all over Iceland. The staff also helped me pick up some great tshirts and hoodies with a cool design. Now we are ready to look up in the sky and see them!”
Lava Centre in Vik, Iceland, is an interactive volcano and earthquake exhibition with a quake simulator, magma plume model, eruption film, and rooftop views.
“Very interesting exhibition. We stopped here on our way to see some waterfalls, to learn a bit of history of the area, the different type of volcanos and terrain, and the seismic activity of Iceland. The museum is very nicely done. Their facilities and restaurants are also great, and a good place to stop if the weather turns around and you need a place to stay dry.”
Visit four ancient man-made caves at Caves of Hella near Vik with an English guide, about 1 hour.
“The tour guide was fun! Unfortunately in my opinion, they were making something out of nothing. Interesting but a bit of a let down. Many others really enjoyed it so you will need to decide for yourself.”
See 300 phallus specimens from 120 species at Reykjavik’s Phallological Museum, then head to the Phallus Café and Bistro.
Sail from Reykjavik’s Old Harbor to Faxaflói Bay, then visit Whales of Iceland for life-size models and VR learning.
“We knew that march isnt the best time for whale watching but still decided to have a go. We were lucky enough to see few whales and it was an amazing experience.The guide provided us with a lot of information about them.”
Walk through Icelandic sagas at the Saga Museum in Reykjavik with an audio guide and Viking dress-up. Short, fun, and educational.
“This was a cute museum, lots of life size dioramas that were well done. Good history of old Iceland. This would be really neat modernized and upgrades with virtual and 3D experiences along with more hard artifacts.”
Skip-the-line mobile ticket for the National Museum of Iceland in Reykjavik, with time-saving entry and self-guided history from start to now.
“Great history of Iceland. Informative and easy to follow exhibits. Highly recommend.Great for fsmillies”
Visit the Hellisheiði Geothermal Exhibition near Reykjavík with a self-guided audio tour, interactive displays, and a Carbfix climate stop.
“Self-guided audio tour. Interactive and bery informative. Can definitely recommend this tour. Both for adults and teens interesting. Children need add some guidance to understand the complexity.”
Walk through an interactive volcano exhibition at Lava Centre Iceland, then watch eruption footage in the cinema and view volcanoes from the deck.
Step into Icelandic sagas through life-like waxworks, a 35-minute audio guide in 7 languages, 20 exhibits, and Viking dress-up.
“A brilliant museum with very friendly and helpful staff.”
Self-guided audio tour at Reykjavik’s Settlement Center, mixing Iceland’s first settlers with Egils Saga for about an hour.
“There are two parts to the tour, with an upstairs and downstairs. There’s a very helpful person at the beginning to give you your headphones and an iPod mini that has the tour in many languages. The upper floor with a history of Iceland was interesting but a little difficult to follow. The tour below with the saga was much more dramatic and entertaining. This is a nice stop if you were visiting the country for the first time.”
Reykjavik whale watching plus the Whales of Iceland exhibition, with warm gear, heated cabins, and hands-on science about sea giants.
“Very cold and the sea was choppy but to be expected in the Atlantic. We go to see whales and dolphins.”
Every kind of Icelandic day out, and the best of each.
