Best Of Reykjavík 2018: Best Museum

So, you’ve shopped in the shops, drank the drinks, and eaten all the food you can manage. And whilst those things are all super fun, activities and culture are the missing pieces of the puzzle for a perfect trip to Iceland. Whether it a gleaming museum or a grimy artist-run gallery, a springtime hike or a trip to try and glimpse the aurora, presenting our Best of Reykjavík 2018: Activities winners. Here, we’ll dive into the not-to-miss museums.

Best Museum

The National Museum Of Iceland

Suðurgata 41

Of Reykjavík’s many museums, one stands taller than the competition due to the pure breadth of their displays. Iceland’s National Museum is a treasure trove of the country’s history, covering everything from early culture to clothing, metalsmithing, religion, and more. “I love the national museum, being a nerd for cultural history,” said one panellist. “If you want actual history, it’s top-notch. It’s well-curated and well designed, with contemporary displays that connect to cultural waves like football and feminism. It even makes the silverware interesting. And I love the baby skeleton. I want one of my own.”

Runner-Up:

Árbæjarsafn

Kistuhylur 14, Reykjavík 110

This outdoor museum provides a vivid look at Icelandic life in the olden days, with guides dressed in old-time garb. “It’s super cute,” said the panel. “There’s a dress-up theatre and a toy museum, and it’s cool to be in a little old village with the modern city growing in the background.”

Runner-Up:

Wonders of Iceland

Perlan

Newcomer: Wanna see an ice cave? Instead of trekking across south Iceland, now you can go to Perlan. “It’s just really cool,” said the panel. “There are interactive laser displays to show you information, it’s futuristic and engaging, and it’s about the nature that people come to Iceland for.”

Previous Winners

2015-17: Árbæjarsafn

2011-14: National Museum of Iceland

Other Activities Categories

Best Pool

Best Art Museum

Best Museum

Best Artist-Run Space

Best Gallery

Best Place For Aurora Spotting

Best Place To Take The Kids

Best People-Watching Spot

Best Hike

Best Cinema

You can buy a copy of the full Best Of Reykjavík 2018 magazine—an essential guide to having fun in Reykjavík—here, posted worldwide. We also have a Special Offer double-pack that also includes our Best Of Iceland magazine, about places to eat, see, swim, shop and stay, all around the country, here.