Information
Landmark: Viking World MuseumCity: Reykjavik
Country: Iceland
Continent: Europe
Viking World Museum, Reykjavik, Iceland, Europe
Overview
About 50 kilometers from Reykjavik, in the seaside town of Keflavik, the Viking World Museum (Víkingaheimar) draws visitors with vivid displays of Norse history and culture.Visitors get a vivid glimpse of the Viking Age, from the crash of waves against their longships to the myths they told, and see how Norse culture shaped Iceland and left its mark around the world.The museum sits just minutes from Keflavik International Airport, so it’s an easy stop for anyone flying in or out of Iceland-close enough to hear the distant hum of jet engines.Perched on the coast, the museum looks out over glittering waves that echo its maritime exhibits.Opened in 2009, it set out to honor the Viking Age and its role in shaping both Iceland’s identity and world history.Its sleek, modern design still carries the bold lines and sturdy feel of a Viking hall.At the heart of it all stands a striking glass-walled structure, flooding the room with daylight and drawing every eye to the museum’s star: the Íslendingur Viking ship, its dark wood gleaming in the sun.The Íslendingur, or “The Icelander,” is a full-scale replica of the Gokstad Viking ship, a vessel unearthed in Norway and dating back to around 870 AD.Shipbuilder Gunnar Marel Eggertsson crafted it in 1996 with the same tools and timber Viking shipwrights once used, each plank smelling faintly of fresh-cut pine.In 2000, to mark a thousand years since Leif Erikson’s journey, Gunnar Marel sailed the Íslendingur from Iceland across the rough North Atlantic to North America, following the path the Vikings likely took.This journey showcased the Vikings’ remarkable skill at sea and the advanced ships they built; step aboard, run your hand along the weathered planks, and discover what it took to cross the Atlantic in the Viking Age.Number two.The Viking Settlement Exhibit takes you back to late 9th-century Iceland, tracing the arrival of Norse explorers as they stepped ashore and built their first turf-roofed homes.The exhibits feature Viking artifacts and tools, along with glimpses into everyday life-plowing rocky soil, weaving cloth, trading goods.You’ll see how they adapted to Iceland’s harsh winds and long winters, and interactive models bring their settlements to life.Three.In the Mythological World section, you’ll step into Norse legend-hear tales of Odin’s wisdom, Thor’s thunder, and Freyja’s cunning, and explore hands-on displays of the Nine Worlds, from golden Asgard to earthy Midgard.You’ll see how these beliefs shaped Viking life, art, and the stories they passed down by firelight.Then, in Viking Exploration, the museum brings to life their daring as sailors, traders, and settlers with clinker-built ships built for the open sea, maps charting voyages from Greenland to Newfoundland, and trade routes reaching Byzantium, the Middle East, and even North Africa.Multimedia screens trace their far-flung journeys and the legacy they left behind.Five.For younger visitors, the museum offers a Children’s Viking Adventure with dress-up tunics, hands-on crafts, and lively tales told by a roaring fire.The Viking World Museum is a must-visit for anyone curious about the Viking Age and Iceland’s past, offering families hands-on workshops, expert-led talks, and lively craft or cooking demonstrations, all set against sweeping glass-walled views of the coast.With its world‑famous ship, hands‑on exhibits, and a harbor view that smells faintly of salt and tar, it offers an experience you won’t find anywhere else.Whether you’re climbing aboard the Íslendingur or losing yourself in tales of Norse gods, the museum pulls you deep into the Vikings’ story-how their mark still runs through Icelandic life and even reaches far past its shores.
