Best Of Reykjavík 2018: Best Gallery

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 galleries.

Best Gallery

i8

Tryggvagata 16

Despite increasing competition from Reykjavík’s lively and thriving gallery scene, i8 wins best art gallery in 2018 for the fifth time. The reasoning is simple: they show amazing art, all the time. Their roster includes many of Iceland’s foremost contemporary artists, such as Ragnar Kjartansson and Ólafur Elíasson, recent Venice Biennale participant Egill Sæbjörnsson, and international names like Roni Horn. “i8’s top quality stable of artists often display a playful sense of humour in their work,” said the panel. “Contemporary art takes itself very seriously sometimes, but i8 doesn’t—in the best possible way.”

Runner-Up:

Kling og Bang

Grandagarður 20

After a period of nomadism, the enfant terrible of Iceland’s gallery scene is back in force after finding a new home in the glorious Marshall House art museum development. This gallery identifies more as an art collective, creating ambitious large-scale projects and vibrant group shows. Welcome back, Kling og Bang!

Runner-Up:

Berg Contemporary

Klapparstígur 16

Located in a building that was formerly a glass factory, Ingibjörg Jónsdóttir’s BERG Contemporary has quickly established a kick-ass roster of Icelandic and international artists, and an ever-growing reputation to match. “It’s a beautiful space, and I’m always curious to see what they’re showing,” said one panellist.

Previous Winners

2015-17: i8

2014: Kling og Bang

2011-13: National Museum

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.