Iceland · MUSEUMS
Daylight is the scarce thing here, not options. These 15 museum visits justify the slot, priced and timed so you can decide in minutes and get back to planning.
Hop-on hop-off Reykjavik bus plus Perlan Museum ticket with 24-hour flexibility and Iceland’s geology exhibits, Ice Cave, and 360 views.
“An experience not to be missed. The only guide we had was in t h e Museom. You need at least 2 hours there. Volcano and northern lights all in English only.”
Explore Whales of Iceland in Reykjavik, with life-size whale models, interactive exhibits, and Fin Whale Theatre documentaries plus a free audio guide.
“My son really enjoyed this museum; he said it was his favorite. We learned so much and were amazed at how big the whales were. Kids get to answer questions about what they are learning and at the end get a certificate.”
Skip the ticket line at Reykjavik's National Museum with a 10-language audio guide to trace Iceland from Vikings to today.
“it was very informative and gave you a nice timeline of the Iceland's history personally I would pair this with either the Settlements Exhibit or The Martime Museum if you want to get the most out of it. If vikings are your thing then the Settlement exhibt If more modern history is your thing then Martime Museum and the cod wars stuff for sure”
Aurora Reykjavík: 1-hour indoor northern lights museum with a 7-meter screen, 360 VR, and practical photo tips, even when skies disappoint.
“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.”
LAVA Centre in Vik turns Iceland’s volcano and earthquake story into hands-on exhibits, films, and a rooftop view, for families.
“Kids really liked it, and engaged with the content. Ages 4, 6, 11. They loved the self pace. Would recommend.”
Explore four man-made caves at Ægissíða near Vik. Small group, English guide, warm facilities. 1 hour, admission included.
“Interesting caves to visit. Hanna did a great job of touring us around the caves. Great to learn about history.”
Reykjavik’s Phallological Museum ticket gets you the world’s phallus collection, plus access to the Phallus Café for themed bites and drinks.
Whale watching from Reykjavik’s Old Harbor plus Whales of Iceland museum, with 23 life-size models after a Faxafloi Bay sail.
“Absolutely brilliant. Daniel was an amazing guide. Managed to see a humpback pretty early on however he wasn’t playing ball and was difficult to catch a good glimpse so we carried on and saw 2 more!!! One was very close to the boat and got amazing pictures and vids. Free travel sickness tables offered before leaving and on board. Refreshments sold on board. Also the guide takes pictures and uploads them which you can access for free. Would 10000% recommend and it is something I can now tick off my bucket list.”
Saga Museum in Reykjavik: entry ticket with multi-language audio guide, lifelike saga dioramas, Viking dress-up, and free parking.
“This small museum takes about 45 minutes to tour and offers a great overview of Iceland's early history as captured in the Sagas. There are audio headsets that explain each of the 18 or so static displays that use incredibly lifelike mannequins to demonstrate the scene. We appreciated the humor of the “bonus exhibit” as well. The artists designing the figures are very talented.”
Skip-the-line mobile ticket to the National Museum of Iceland in Reykjavik. Learn Iceland’s story, plus free Safnahus access.
“I would have given 5 stars, however I booked tickets for Monday 24th Feb’20 and we arrived and museum is closed?! Why I was allowed to book tickets on the day that it is closed?! Luckily we returned the next day 25th Feb’20 and members of staff at the museum let us in and did not asked to pay again. Thank you so much for that. Museum is great and it’s a must to see if you are interested in Iceland’s history as there’s so much more to Iceland than Northern Lights and Blue Lagoon. If you have time, go and check it out.”
Hellisheiði Geothermal Exhibition near Reykjavík, self-guided audio tour with interactive exhibits and the Carbfix room on green power.
“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.”
A hands-on volcano exhibition in South Iceland with live earthquake mapping, a shaking simulator, cinema footage, and observation-deck views.
Step into the Saga Museum in Reykjavik for a 35-minute audio tour of Viking Iceland, 20 wax scenes, and Viking dress-up.
“Realistic scenes from the Icelandic past! I liked it very much! later in you can get dressed as a viking and have fun!”
Self-guided audio tour of Reykjavik’s Settlement Center, mixing Viking settlement history with Egils Saga through a two-floor exhibit.
“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.”
3.5-hour Reykjavik whale-watching cruise plus the Whales of Iceland exhibition, with warm gear, indoor cabins, and repeat options.
“Very cold and the sea was choppy but to be expected in the Atlantic. We go to see whales and dolphins.”
Every kind of day out on the island, and the best of each.
