Grapevine’s Best Of 2016: Best Museum

Reykjavík is a relatively small city, but even so, sometimes you need a bit of local advice to find what you’re looking for, whether it’s a good people-watching spot, somewhere to see some contemporary art, or the best place to catch an Icelandic movie. Don’t worry, friends—we’ve got you covered via our Best of Reykjavík 2016 series. Here are some of our favourite spots in Reykjavík, for all kinds of super-fun days and nights out. Enjoy! And if you try our list, you can let us know what you thought of the selections via letters@grapevine.is.

Best Museum

Winner: Árbæjarsafn
Kistuhylur 4
This living history museum invites visitors to stroll through the past of Iceland, experiencing turf houses and living conditions from previous centuries. The tour guides dress up in period costumes, creating a vivid vision of how Icelanders used to live. It’s a drive out of the city centre, or quite a long bus ride, but it’s worth it. “It goes over very well with first-time visitors to Iceland,” said the panel. “There are all sorts of fun facts about how people lived here in the past.”

Runner Up: The National Museum of Iceland
Suðurgata 41
This sprawling collection of Iceland’s history covers all manner of artefacts, from jewellry to weapons, tools, costumes, textiles and more. You could easy spend an entire afternoon here, learning about the history of the country.

Runner Up: The Settlement Exhibition
Aðalstræti 16
This underground museum, located right downtown on Aðalstræti, offers a look into the beginning of Iceland’s history as an inhabited country. “It has the remains of a turf house from the 870s,” said the panel, “from the original Reykjavík settlement era.”

Previous Winners:
2015: Árbæjarsafnið 
2014: National Museum of Iceland
2013: National Museum of Iceland
2012: National Museum of Iceland
2011: National Museum of Iceland

Read more of our Best of 2016 lists here.