To main content
Information on upcoming sailings and your health and safety
Hurtigruten logo Hurtigruten logo 8665520371
Find Your Cruise Destinations Offers Health and safety My Booking
  • Find a Voyage
  • Destinations
  • Our Ships
  • Special Offers
  • Excursions
  • Pre- and post-programs
  • Get Inspired
  • My Booking
8665520371
  • Switch to United States
Search
  • Map
  • Why Cruise with Hurtigruten
  • About Hurtigruten
  • Practical Information
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Register for our Newsletter!
  • Request a Quote
  • Order Brochures
  • Press
  • Contact Us
  1. Home
  2. Our Destinations
  3. Iceland
  4. Travel Guide to Iceland
  5. A Guide to the National Museum of Iceland

National Plan for Vacation Day

$500 Deposit Today Only!

Book Now

National Plan for Vacation Day

$500 Deposit Today Only!

Book Now

Updating your booking
Info: We at Hurtigruten use cookies to optimize our websites for your needs. By using this website you consent to our cookie policy
Reykjavik, Iceland
Photo: Evelyn Paris Photo

A Guide to the National Museum of Iceland

No trip to a big city is complete without diving into local history at its primary museum, and Reykjavik is no exception. With more than 3,000 items on three floors, the National Museum of Iceland explains the history of the island, from early settlements dating back to the Middle Ages to the present day. What follows is a lowdown on what to expect.

What's unmissable at Iceland’s National Museum?

The Iceland museum has a permanent exhibition called "The Making of a Nation" that showcases the country’s heritage and history, beginning from the Age of Settlement in the second half of the ninth century to the twentieth century, the latter shown in an exhibit of 1,000 photographs. The exhibition is staged as a journey through time, starting with a ship used by early settlers to first migrate to Iceland to images of the city’s modern airport.

Among the exhibits is the twelfth-century door of the Valþjófsstaðir Church, a priceless piece featuring two intricately carved circular patterns that tell the story of a knight, his lion, and a horde of dragons.

Fun fact: it’s also the only Icelandic door to include carvings in runic script.

This door is joined by many other fascinating artifacts like suits of chain mail, a human skeleton, and a complete small wooden house from the nineteenth century.

Alongside the permanent collection is a rolling roster of temporary exhibitions on the first floor. Recent exhibitions include a contemporary collection of images of old fishing stations and camps, an investigation of the lives of working women from 1915 to 2015, and samples from the museum’s postcard collection.

History of the National Museum of Iceland

The museum was founded in 1863 when Iceland’s national librarian, Jón Árnason, established what was then known as the Icelandic Antiquities Collection (Forngripasafns Íslands). The second curator, Sigurður Guðmundsson, continued this tradition of collecting antiquities but changed the name of the collection in 1911 to the National Museum of Iceland.

Before this, the collection had been held in various attics around Reykjavik. It was then moved to the attic of Árnason’s former employer, the National Library, in a building that now houses the museum’s sister collection, the Culture House. It only moved to its current home at 41 Suðurgata Street in 1944, the year Iceland became an independent nation.

In 2004, the museum was updated to make it more interactive, integrating the use of touchscreens and other technological elements for the first time.

Where is the National Museum of Iceland located?

Visitors to Reykjavik will find Iceland’s National Museum within walking distance of the city center. It’s on Suðurgata Street between the Midborg and Vesturbær districts, close to Reykjavik University. The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Receive $100 On Board Credit Today

Sign up for our newsletter today to received $100 On Board Credit on Your First Cruise

Yes, sign me up!
When packing for Antarctica, remember to bring your mittens! 🧤
.
.
.
.
#hurtigruten #antarctica #weexplore #whattopack #ribboat #travel #berniesanders #berniesmittens #berniesandersmeme #bernie #berniesandersmemes What's better than a warm embrace from someone you love? We hope we can all hug each other soon again. For now, we're sending you a virtual hug for National Hug Day. 📷: Chelsea Claus / Hurtigruten 
.
.
.
#hurtigruten #weexplore #nationalhugday #hug #penguin #antarctica #travel #adventuretravel #wildlife For Penguin Awareness Day, here are some facts you might not know about everyone's favorite flightless bird: 
- Their black and white "tuxedo" is a smart camouflage called countershading
- You'll never actually see them with polar bears (despite what you've seen in classic cartoons)
- Penguins huddle together to protect themselves—or to stay warm
- You can see this fascinating creature if you go with Hurtigruten to Antarctica (but this we bet you knew already!)
 📸: Ingemund Skålnes / Hurtigruten

Contact

  • 8665520371
    or contact a Certified Hurtigruten Specialist

  • [email protected]
  • 1505 Westlake Avenue North, Suite 125, Seattle, WA 98109

  • Contact us

About Hurtigruten

  • Why travel with us?
  • Sustainability
  • Careers
  • Charters and Incentives
  • Agent Portal
  • Hurtigruten Svalbard
  • Press

Support

  • Request a Quote
  • Coronavirus Update
  • My Booking
  • Make a Payment
  • Uplift - Book Now, Pay Later
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Statement of Privacy
  • Cookie Compliance

Social media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
Hurtigruten LTD

Search for destinations, attractions, or information

Got a promotion code?