Best Of Reykjavík 2026: Best Newcomer

For a city the size of Reykjavík, there’s definitely a lot going on (per capita, of course), and luckily for you, you’re holding (or scrolling through) an exhaustive list of hotspots worth your attention. Our cultural experts keep tabs on the town’s happenings, but not in a pretentious, professional way — they live here, so they are nothing but upfront about what’s a hit or a miss. 2025 was a great year for culture, with multiple new galleries popping up in Reykjavík, museums seriously levelling up, and some institutions going into hibernation. If you’re going to do anything cultural in Reykjavík, start with some of these.

Best Newcomer

H,A,K,K Gallery

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It’s been just over a year since H,A,K,K opened, and what a solid start. With both founders coming from design backgrounds, the gallery emphasises craft, material, and design more than most existing spaces in the town. The exhibitions held in 2025 reflect this: from Johanna Seelemann’s incredible glass work to group exhibitions where artists ponder on simple things like hooks or candleholders, H,A,K,K is onto something refreshingly different.

Runner Up:

Herma

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Artist-run space Herma burst onto Reykjavík’s culture scene in June 2025. With a focus on providing space for those who might otherwise not get one, they set the ambitious goal of changing exhibitions weekly. It’s a lot of work, but they clearly know what they’re doing: in a short span of time, some of the town’s most talked-about exhibitions have come from Herma.

Runner Up:

SIND Gallery

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SIND is the newest addition to Reykjavík’s gallery scene. With three exhibitions held so far — an opening show by national treasure Rúrí, a solo show by Herdís Hlíf, and a group exhibition exploring sapphic love — SIND has already caught the eyes of the town’s cultural community. While it may take some time to establish itself as the feminist gallery it aims to be, gallerist Snærós Sindradóttir is making sure everyone knows SIND is here to be taken seriously.

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