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All 155 Reykjavik Attractions »

National Museum of Iceland

Sudurgata 41, Reykjavik 101, Iceland
530-2200
Ranked #5 of 45 attractions in Reykjavik
4.5 of 5 stars 113 Reviews
Type: History Museums
Traveller Description:   Iceland's National Museum was established on 24 February 1863. Up until that time Icelandic museum pieces had been preserved and kept in Danish... more »
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113 reviews from our community

Visitor rating
    60
    46
    6
    1
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Date Rating
Reykjavik, Iceland
Contributor
13 reviews 13 reviews
Reviews in 8 cities Reviews in 8 cities
8 helpful votes 8 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 24 May 2012 NEW

I was there all the time when I was a kid, but hadn't entered the new building until I had a visitor. I was thrilled with it. I had estimated about an hour, but we had to be thrown out. I found all the exhibits so interesting and I could have staid a lot longer. I'm definitely coming back. Very... More

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See 4 more reviews by Goddalur for Reykjavik
Washington DC, District of Columbia
Contributor
14 reviews 14 reviews
Reviews in 11 cities Reviews in 11 cities
23 helpful votes 23 helpful votes
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 24 May 2012 NEW

I visited the museum when I went to Iceland back in March of this year with my mom. First off, the structure itself is quite nice - very modern, and the technology used with some of the exhibits is quite good. There is also a decent cafe downstairs off the lobby. The section we were most interested in (of course)... More

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New York City, New York
Senior Contributor
24 reviews 24 reviews
Reviews in 12 cities Reviews in 12 cities
18 helpful votes 18 helpful votes
2 of 5 stars Reviewed 22 May 2012

If you're traveling with a child, sure. Otherwise, not enough to make it worthwhile, unfortunately. Attractive building, and a good attempt, but we didn't learn much and felt pretty disappointed. More

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See 4 more reviews by lawyer79 for Reykjavik
Lexington Park, Maryland
Senior Contributor
31 reviews 31 reviews
Reviews in 6 cities Reviews in 6 cities
2 helpful votes 2 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 21 May 2012

Interesting and well layed out/designed museum. The overview of the settlement of Iceland was great and very detailed. However I felt as the timeline of Iceland progressed the coverage in the museum started to tail off significantly, with little coverage of the last 100 years (WWII only had a small plaque). More

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See 10 more reviews by Buckeye_Ryan for Reykjavik
Cheltenham
Senior Contributor
49 reviews 49 reviews
Reviews in 30 cities Reviews in 30 cities
36 helpful votes 36 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 20 May 2012

A bit of a walk out of the city centre but worth a visit. No longer free on Wednesday's as many of the guide books suggest, but entrance fee reasonable. Large museum with many interesting artefacts. Cafe. More

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See 5 more reviews by Bermuda1Cheltenham for Reykjavik
Sydney, Australia
Contributor
19 reviews 19 reviews
Reviews in 10 cities Reviews in 10 cities
7 helpful votes 7 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 18 May 2012

I visited this museum on the first day of my 4 day trip to Iceland and it gave me a great understanding of what the country and its people are all about. Some great stuff in here that blew me away and for about $15USD with a audio guide, its good value. Give yourself about 3 hours to do the... More

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West Riding, UK
Senior Contributor
46 reviews 46 reviews
Reviews in 43 cities Reviews in 43 cities
86 helpful votes 86 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 14 May 2012

The museum relates the history and development of the Icelandic people in a modern and approachable fashion. Icelandic and English script shares equal prominence so for anglophones the clearly set out narrative is easy to follow. There is a small and well used cafe and good cloakroom and locker facilities. The modest entry fee makes a visit very worthwhile. More

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Naples, Maine
Top Contributor
55 reviews 55 reviews
Reviews in 15 cities Reviews in 15 cities
13 helpful votes 13 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 10 May 2012

Plan a day to go through this incredible museum! well marked in English and Icelandic with vignettes to give a personal perspective. a chronology that explains the changes in Iceland through the years and gives you insights into the challenge of living on a northern Island! children and adults will like this! More

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See 4 more reviews by localfoodie_12 for Reykjavik
Rainham, United Kingdom
Contributor
16 reviews 16 reviews
7 helpful votes 7 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 8 May 2012

Great museum&very interesting and informative.Definitely recommended. More

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See 15 more reviews by Jane P for Reykjavik
Weehawken, New Jersey
Senior Reviewer
9 reviews 9 reviews
4 helpful votes 4 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 7 May 2012

If you want to get a pretty detailed look at the history of Iceland from the time of its settlement until the present day, the National Museum is the place to go. The exhibits are very informative and well laid out and all of the displays include English descriptions. I'm really glad I went here. More

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See 8 more reviews by Al B for Reykjavik

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