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Museums · Iceland

Iceland Museums

153 mapped · 7 regions · Art, folk & saga history · Rainy-day friendly

Steinninn · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 4.0

Wolfgang Sauber · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0

Christian Bickel fingalo · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0 de

Iceland packs a lot of museums into a small country. Reykjavík anchors it with the National Gallery (Listasafn Íslands), the National Museum and the open-air Árbæjarsafn. Out in the regions you'll find turf-house folk museums like Glaumbær, saga sites such as Eiríksstaðir, and specialist collections from herring to rock 'n' roll. Most charge a modest fee and keep seasonal hours — always check the museum's own site before you drive out.

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Quick answers — which museums are worth it, opening hours, entry fees and rainy-day picks.

ÁrbæjarsafnReykjavík Area

EiríksstaðirWest Iceland

Galdrasýning á StröndumWestfjords

Planning around weather or roads? Live conditions across Iceland →

Top museums

Iceland’s best-documented museums — art, folk history and saga sites, with region and entry info.

Open-air museumMap

#1Árbæjarsafn

Open-air museumReykjavík Area

Worth discovering

Directions

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MuseumMap

#2Eiríksstaðir

Worth discovering

#3Galdrasýning á Ströndum

History museumWestfjords

Worth discovering

Directions

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Paid entryMap

#4Glaumbær

Worth discovering

#5Gljúfrasteinn

Worth discovering

#6Hönnunarsafn Íslands

Worth discovering

#7Listasafn Íslands

Reykjavík AreaAccessible

Worth discovering

Directions

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Natural historyMap

#8Perlan

Natural historyReykjavík AreaAccessible

Directions

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Duration6 hours

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Duration8 hours

HighlightsReykjavík area

How & when to visit Iceland's museums

Most travellers hit museums in Reykjavík — the National Gallery, the National Museum and open-air Árbæjarsafn are all central and open year-round, making them a reliable rainy-day plan. Out in the regions, museums cluster in the towns: Glaumbær and the Herring Era Museum in the north, Eiríksstaðir in the west, and small heritage collections in most fjord villages. Many rural and turf-house museums run summer-only hours or open by arrangement, so check the museum's own website before committing a drive to it. Use the region browser above to line up museum stops along your route.

Browse museums by region

South Coast
21 museums

West Iceland
18 museums

North Iceland
43 museums

East Iceland
13 museums

Westfjords
15 museums

Reykjavík Area
36 museums

Reykjanes Peninsula
7 museums

The museums of Iceland, compared

All 152 mapped museums, ranked — our best-documented picks first. Tap any name for the full page. Region, entry and museum-type details come from OpenStreetMap and Wikidata where they exist.

Museum	Region	Entry	Known for
Árbæjarsafn	Reykjavík Area	Paid entry	Worth discovering
Eiríksstaðir	West Iceland	Museum	Worth discovering
Galdrasýning á Ströndum	Westfjords	Museum	Worth discovering
Glaumbær	North Iceland	Paid entry	Worth discovering
Gljúfrasteinn	Reykjavík Area	Museum	Worth discovering
Hönnunarsafn Íslands	Reykjavík Area	Museum	Worth discovering
Listasafn Íslands	Reykjavík Area	Museum	Worth discovering
Perlan	Reykjavík Area	Museum	Six cylinders of hot water with a glass dome dropped on top, standing on Öskjuhlíð hill above the city. Four of the tanks still hold Reykjavík's hot water; one has been hollowed out into an ice cave and another into a planetarium. The building opened to the public on 21 June 1991 and works now as a natural history museum, with an observation deck running the whole way round the dome.
Safnasafnid Icelandic Folk and Outsider Art Museum	North Iceland	Museum	Worth discovering
Þjóðminjasafn Íslands	Reykjavík Area	Museum	Iceland’s national collection, founded on 24 February 1863 with Jón Árnason as its first curator and settled at Suðurgata 41 since 1950. The permanent exhibition, Making of a Nation, runs from the settlement to the present through about 2,000 objects — among them the Valþjófsstaður door, a carved panel telling a version of the lion-knight legend.
Þjóðveldisbærinn	South Coast	Paid entry	Worth discovering
Rokksafn Íslands	Reykjanes Peninsula	Museum	Worth discovering
Arctic Fox Centre	Westfjords	Museum	Museum in Westfjords
Ásmundarsafn	Reykjavík Area	Museum	Museum in Reykjavík Area
Bjarnarhöfn Museum	West Iceland	Museum	Museum in West Iceland
Bustarfell	North Iceland	Museum	Museum in North Iceland
Byggðarsafnið	West Iceland	Museum	Museum in West Iceland
Byggðasafn	South Coast	Museum	Museum in South Coast
Byggðasafn Vestfjarða	Westfjords	Paid entry	Museum in Westfjords
Draugasetrið	South Coast	Museum	Museum in South Coast
Duus Museum	Reykjanes Peninsula	Museum	Museum in Reykjanes Peninsula
Eldheimar	South Coast	Paid entry	Museum in South Coast
Gerðarsafn	Reykjavík Area	Free entry	Museum in Reykjavík Area
Grenjaðarstaður	North Iceland	Museum	Museum in North Iceland
Hið Íslenzka Reðasafn	Reykjavík Area	Paid entry	Museum in Reykjavík Area
Hnjótur	Westfjords	Museum	Museum in Westfjords
Hvalasýningin	Reykjavík Area	Paid entry	Museum in Reykjavík Area
Hvoll	North Iceland	Museum	Museum in North Iceland
Icelandic Punk Museum	Reykjavík Area	Paid entry	Museum in Reykjavík Area
Kröflustöð	North Iceland	Museum	Museum in North Iceland
Landlyst	South Coast	Free entry	Museum in South Coast
Langabúð	East Iceland	Free entry	Museum in East Iceland
Listasafn Reykjavíkur	Reykjavík Area	Paid entry	Museum in Reykjavík Area
Listasafn Sigurjóns Ólafssonar	Reykjavík Area	Museum	Museum in Reykjavík Area
Ljósmyndasafn Reykjavíkur	Reykjavík Area	Paid entry	Museum in Reykjavík Area
Náttúrugripasafnið	East Iceland	Museum	Geology museum in East Iceland
Ósvör	Westfjords	Paid entry	History museum in Westfjords
Petra's Stone Collection	East Iceland	Museum	Natural history in East Iceland
Safnahúsið	Reykjavík Area	Museum	Museum in Reykjavík Area
Saga Centre	South Coast	Museum	Museum in South Coast
Saga Museum	Reykjavík Area	Paid entry	History museum in Reykjavík Area
Samúel Jónsson's Art Farm	Westfjords	Museum	Museum in Westfjords
Sel	South Coast	Free entry	History museum in South Coast
Skansinn	South Coast	Museum	Museum in South Coast
Skógasafn	South Coast	Museum	Museum in South Coast
Skriðuklaustur	East Iceland	Museum	Museum in East Iceland
Slippurinn	North Iceland	Museum	Museum in North Iceland
Snorrastofa	West Iceland	Paid entry	Museum in West Iceland
Stríðsárasafnið	East Iceland	Museum	Museum in East Iceland
Svavarssafn - Listasafn	East Iceland	Museum	Art museum in East Iceland
Sænautasel	North Iceland	Museum	Museum in North Iceland
The Exploration Museum	North Iceland	Museum	History museum in North Iceland
Tónlistarsafn Íslands	Reykjavík Area	Museum	Museum in Reykjavík Area
Vatnasafn	West Iceland	Museum	Museum in West Iceland
Þórbergur	South Coast	Museum	House museum in South Coast
1238 The Battle of Iceland	North Iceland	Museum	Museum in North Iceland
Aðalstræti 10	Reykjavík Area	Paid entry	Local heritage in Reykjavík Area
Aurora Reykjavik Northern Lights Center	Reykjavík Area	Museum	Museum in Reykjavík Area
Bardúsa verslunarminjasafn	West Iceland	Museum	Museum in West Iceland
Báta og hlunnindasýningin	West Iceland	Museum	Museum in West Iceland
Bookless Bungalow	Reykjavík Area	Museum	History museum in Reykjavík Area
Bóka- og Byggðasafn	North Iceland	Museum	Museum in North Iceland
Byggðasafn Gerðahrepps	Reykjanes Peninsula	Museum	Museum in Reykjanes Peninsula
Byggðasafn Hafnarfjarðar	Reykjavík Area	Museum	Museum in Reykjavík Area
Byggðasafn Húnvetninga og Strandamanna	West Iceland	Museum	Museum in West Iceland
Davíðshús	North Iceland	Museum	Museum in North Iceland
Fischersetur	South Coast	Museum	Museum in South Coast
Flugsafnið	North Iceland	Museum	Museum in North Iceland
Friðbjarnarhús	North Iceland	Museum	Museum in North Iceland
Fuglasafn Sigurgeirs	North Iceland	Paid entry	Museum in North Iceland
Gallerí Fríða Gylfadóttir	North Iceland	Museum	Museum in North Iceland
Gamlabúð	East Iceland	Museum	Local heritage in East Iceland
Gamli bærinn Laufás	North Iceland	Museum	Museum in North Iceland
Heimilisiðnaðarsafnið Textile Museum	North Iceland	Museum	Museum in North Iceland
Heklusetrið	South Coast	Museum	Museum in South Coast
Herjólfstown	South Coast	Museum	History museum in South Coast
Hernámssetrið	West Iceland	Museum	Museum in West Iceland
Húsið	South Coast	Museum	Museum in South Coast
Hvalasafnið á Húsavík	North Iceland	Paid entry	Museum in North Iceland
Höfði	Reykjavík Area	Museum	Museum in Reykjavík Area
Iðnaðarsafn	North Iceland	Museum	Museum in North Iceland
Jarðhitasýningin	Reykjavík Area	Museum	Museum in Reykjavík Area
Kirkjubaejarstofa	South Coast	Museum	Museum in South Coast
Kjarvalsstaðir	Reykjavík Area	Museum	Museum in Reykjavík Area
Kotbýli kuklarans	Westfjords	Free entry	Museum in Westfjords
Kvikan	Reykjanes Peninsula	Museum	Museum in Reykjanes Peninsula
Kötlusetur - Katla visitor centre	South Coast	Museum	Museum in South Coast
Landbúnaðarsafn Íslands	West Iceland	Museum	Museum in West Iceland
Landnámssetur Íslands	West Iceland	Paid entry	Museum in West Iceland
Listasafn ASÍ	Reykjavík Area	Museum	Museum in Reykjavík Area
Listasafn Árnesinga	Reykjavík Area	Museum	Museum in Reykjavík Area
Listasafn Einars Jónssonar	Reykjavík Area	Museum	Museum in Reykjavík Area
Litli Bær	Westfjords	Museum	Museum in Westfjords
Ljóðasetur Íslands	North Iceland	Museum	Museum in North Iceland
Lyfjafræðisafn	Reykjavík Area	Museum	Museum in Reykjavík Area
Málverkasafn Tryggva Ólafssonar	East Iceland	Paid entry	Art museum in East Iceland
Mánárbakki Minjasafn	North Iceland	Museum	Museum in North Iceland
Melódíur Minninganna	Westfjords	Museum	Museum in Westfjords
Minja- og handverkshúsið Kört	Westfjords	Museum	Museum in Westfjords
Minjasafnið á Akureyri	North Iceland	Museum	Museum in North Iceland
Mótorhjólasafn Íslands	North Iceland	Museum	Museum in North Iceland
Múlastofa	East Iceland	Free entry	Museum in East Iceland
Náttúrufræðistofa Kópavogs	Reykjavík Area	Free entry	Museum in Reykjavík Area
Náttúrugripasafn Ólafsfjarðar	North Iceland	Museum	Museum in North Iceland
Náttúrugripasafn Skagafjarðar	North Iceland	Museum	Museum in North Iceland
Nonnahús	North Iceland	Museum	Museum in North Iceland
Norðurslóð	North Iceland	Museum	Museum in North Iceland
Norwegian House	West Iceland	Museum	Museum in West Iceland
Nýibær	North Iceland	Free entry	Museum in North Iceland
Orkusýning	Reykjavík Area	Museum	Energy museum in Reykjavík Area
Pakkhús	West Iceland	Museum	Museum in West Iceland
Pálshús Museum	North Iceland	Museum	Museum in North Iceland
Powerplant Exhibition	Reykjanes Peninsula	Museum	Museum in Reykjanes Peninsula
Reykjavík 871±2	Reykjavík Area	Paid entry	Museum in Reykjavík Area
Rjómabúið á Baugsstöðum	South Coast	Museum	Museum in South Coast
Safn Ásgríms Jónssonar	Reykjavík Area	Museum	Museum in Reykjavík Area
Safn Samúels Jónssonar	Westfjords	Museum	Museum in Westfjords
Safnahús	East Iceland	Museum	Museum in East Iceland
Safnahús Borgarfjarðar	West Iceland	Museum	Museum in West Iceland
Saga Fotografica	North Iceland	Museum	Art gallery in North Iceland
Sagnagarður Soil Conservation Visitor Centre	South Coast	Museum	Museum in South Coast
Samgönguminjasafnið í Stóragerði	North Iceland	Museum	Museum in North Iceland
Sauðanes	North Iceland	Museum	Museum in North Iceland
Selasetur Íslands, Upplýsingamiðstöð	West Iceland	Paid entry	Museum in West Iceland
Selárdalur	Westfjords	Museum	Museum in Westfjords
Síldarminjasafnið	North Iceland	Paid entry	Museum in North Iceland
Sjómannagarðurinn	West Iceland	Museum	Museum in West Iceland
Sjóminja- og smiðjumunasafn Jósafats Hinrikssonar	East Iceland	Paid entry	Local heritage in East Iceland
Sjóminjasafnið á Eyrarbakka	South Coast	Museum	Museum in South Coast
Sjóminjasafnið á Hellissandi	West Iceland	Museum	Museum in West Iceland
Sjóminjasafnið í Reykjavík	Reykjavík Area	Museum	History museum in Reykjavík Area
Skaftfell. Center for Visual Art, East Iceland	East Iceland	Museum	Museum in East Iceland
Skjálftasetrið	North Iceland	Museum	Local heritage in North Iceland
Skrímslasetrið	Westfjords	Paid entry	Local heritage in Westfjords
Slökkviliðsminjasafn	Reykjanes Peninsula	Museum	Museum in Reykjanes Peninsula
Spákonuhof	North Iceland	Museum	Museum in North Iceland
Steinasafn Auðunns	East Iceland	Paid entry	Museum in East Iceland
Steinshús	Westfjords	Museum	Museum in Westfjords
Sögusetur Íslenska Hestsins	North Iceland	Museum	Museum in North Iceland
The Sheep Farming Museum	Westfjords	Paid entry	Museum in Westfjords
Útgerðaminjasafnið á Grenivík	North Iceland	Museum	Museum in North Iceland
Veiðisafnið	South Coast	Museum	Museum in South Coast
Vesturfarasetrið	North Iceland	Paid entry	Museum in North Iceland
Víkin	Reykjavík Area	Paid entry	Museum in Reykjavík Area
Víkingaheimar	Reykjanes Peninsula	Paid entry	Museum in Reykjanes Peninsula
Ystafell Transporation museum	North Iceland	Museum	Museum in North Iceland
Ystafell Transportation Museum	North Iceland	Museum	Museum in North Iceland
Þingvellir: Hjarta lands og þjóðar	Reykjavík Area	Paid entry	History museum in Reykjavík Area
Þjóðlagasetur sr. Bjarna Þorsteinssonar	North Iceland	Paid entry	Museum in North Iceland
Þjóðminjasafn Íslands - varðveisla	Reykjavík Area	Museum	Museum in Reykjavík Area
Þuríðarbúð	South Coast	Museum	Museum in South Coast
Æðarsetur Íslands	West Iceland	Museum	Museum in West Iceland

Show all 152 museumsShow fewer

Museum questions

What are the best museums in Reykjavík?

The National Gallery of Iceland (Listasafn Íslands), the National Museum, and the open-air Árbæjarsafn are the anchors. Gljúfrasteinn, the home of Nobel laureate Halldór Laxness just outside the city, is worth the short drive.

Are Iceland’s museums open in winter?

The bigger Reykjavík museums open year-round, but many small regional and turf-house museums run summer-only hours (roughly June–August) or open by arrangement. Always check the museum’s own website before you drive out.

Do Icelandic museums charge an entry fee?

Most charge a modest fee; a handful are free. Fees and hours change seasonally, so confirm on the museum’s website. Each museum page here lists the entry status we have from OpenStreetMap.

What are good museums for a rainy day?

Museums are the classic rainy-day plan in Iceland. In Reykjavík the National Museum and National Gallery are indoors and central; around the country, folk and heritage museums like Glaumbær give you saga history under a roof.

Which museums are outside Reykjavík?

Plenty. Glaumbær (Skagafjörður folk museum) and the Herring Era Museum in Siglufjörður are highlights of the north; Eiríksstaðir in the west reconstructs Erik the Red’s homestead. Use the region browser below to find museums along your route.

Are Iceland’s museums wheelchair accessible?

The larger modern museums usually are; older turf-built and rural museums often have steps or uneven ground. Each page shows the accessibility tag we have — contact the museum directly if you have specific needs.