Grapevine’s Best of 2017: Best Museum

Everyone who comes to Iceland is pretty keen make the most of their time here, and whether that means a week of carefree holiday meandering or a laser-guided approach to finding the best stuff, a couple of insider tips are always useful. In this fast-changing city, new places spring up from week to week, begging the questions: which pool has the best hot pot for your first morning here? Where’s the best Icelandic art at? And what’s the best road trip to see some of this amazing nature we’ve heard so much about?

Winner

Árbæjarsafn
Kistuhylur 4
This living museum to Iceland’s past wins once again. It offers direct exposure to the way life in Iceland used to be. You can visit a croft house and a farm house, and imagine yourself transported back in time to old Iceland. They often host events related to the display. “It’s also great for kids,” said the panel. “There’s a big place for kids to play with Super Mario—my childhood is in the museum.”

Runners Up

Settlement Exhibition
Aðalstræti 16
The settlement exhibition, located in a hotel basement right in the heart of downtown Reykjavík, charts the lives of the first people to inhabit Iceland. “It pumps in smell,” said the panel, “and they play sounds like waves and seabirds—it’s a sensory experience.”

National Museum
Suðurgata 41
The national museum has a sprawling display of artefacts from Iceland’s history, from cloth and metalwork to religious artefacts. “They have a gallery space that always has something different happening,” said the panel, “as well as the excellent permanent collection.” It’s the best place to connect with Icelandic history.

Previous Winners

2016: Árbæjarsafnið 
2015: Árbæjarsafnið 
2014: National Museum of Iceland
2013: National Museum of Iceland
2012: National Museum of Iceland
2011: National Museum of Iceland

You can buy a copy of the full Best Of Reykjavík 2017 magazine, posted worldwide, at gpv.is/buybestof.