9 Under-the-Radar Museums in Iceland

Reykjavik’s early history is lovingly preserved and displayed at the Árbaer Open-Air Museum (Árbaejarsafn), located just outside the city center. Comprising more than 20 buildings relocated from central Reykjavik (and dating from the late 19th- to mid-20th century), the site includes a town square as well as stables, barns, and boathouses. Visit to learn about the city’s history, from its start as a Viking settlement to its agricultural heyday, and gain insights into how Icelanders once lived.

Don’t miss: The Smithy building and the Vestry, which both feature a turf-roofed architectural style used in Iceland since the Viking era.

The sea has always had a huge influence on the nation of Iceland and how it developed. Housed in a former fish-freezing plant in Reykjavik’s Old Harbour area, the Reykjavik Maritime Museum tells the story of Iceland’s strong maritime connections, from the Viking longboats that settled the island to the fishing boats that helped the nation prosper and continue to ply their trade around the coast.

Don’t miss: Óðinn, a former Coast Guard vessel, which has been transformed into an exhibit explaining the mid-20th century Cod Wars between Iceland and the United Kingdom.

Tucked underground in a former public restroom, the Icelandic Punk Museum traces the colorful history of the country’s punk rock movement from its beginnings in the 1970s through the emergence of such bands as the Björk-fronted Tappi Tíkarrass. Once inside, you can view memorabilia—including handbills, posters, photographs, and instruments—and also pull on a pair of headphones to listen to some classic tracks.

Don’t miss: If the proprietor—a veteran of the local punk scene—is in the building, make sure to have a chat and hear about his experiences.

To take a deep dive into Iceland’s musical history, head to the Icelandic Museum of Rock 'n’ Roll (Rokksafn Íslands), located in the Hljómahöll concert and conference hall in the Reykjanes Peninsula town of Reykjanesbær. The museum’s exhibits trace the history of Icelandic pop and rock music from the mid-19th century to today. While visiting, you also can use the site’s interactive tablets to dive deeper into the history of some of the country’s artists, including The Sugarcubes, Sigur Rós, and Of Monsters and Men.

Don’t miss: The Sound Lab where you can test your musical aptitude by singing karaoke or playing an electric drum kit, guitar, and bass.

Located just a short drive from Reykjavik, in Akranes, the War and Peace Museum (Hernámssetrið að Hlöðum) tells the story of the Allied occupation of Iceland between 1940 and 1945. Through original artifacts and memorabilia, the site offers a visceral look at the upheaval felt by the communities around the fjord of Hvalfjörður during that era, when Allied troops invaded to deny Nazi Germany the ability to occupy the country.

Don’t miss: The collection includes a crisp SS uniform manufactured by Hugo Boss.

Located in a beautiful meadow in the valley of Mosfellsbaer, the Gljúfrasteinn-Laxness Museum honors the Nobel Prize–winning author Halldór Laxness, who wrote more than 60 novels, starting in the middle of the 20th century. The museum occupies a house that Laxness lived in with his family for more than 50 years, and the home’s original furniture and artwork are just as he left them. A multimedia presentation also provides insights into the artist’s life and work.

Don’t miss: Musical performances are given on Laxness’ grand piano on Sunday afternoons in the summer.

At this spooky attraction in the Westfjords town of Hólmavík, you can learn all about the mighty hold that witches and supernatural beliefs have had on Icelanders throughout the centuries—from the days memorialized in Iceland’s famous sagas through the medieval witch hunts. The Museum of Icelandic Sorcery and Witchcraft’s collection includes a number of original artifacts and replicas, including rune carvings, magical staves, and animal skulls.

Don’t miss: The museum’s most shocking item is its replica of a pair of "necropants," dried skin taken from a man from the waist down. It was believed that wearing this as a garment would bring the wearer money.

Nothing says Iceland quite like a lopapeysa, the chunky, round-yoked wool sweater worn by Icelanders all year. You can learn about the history of this Icelandic sweater—a symbol of the nation’s cultural heritage—and more with a visit to the Textile Museum in Blönduós, in North Iceland. Open only on summer weekends, the museum is well worth traveling to for its exhibits about embroidery, Icelandic national costumes, and wool, as well as the temporary exhibitions it offers highlighting contemporary Icelandic textile artists and designers.

Don’t miss: The Halldóra room, which is dedicated to the life and work of Halldóra Bjarnadóttir, the founder of the Wool and Textile College in Svalbarði and an advocate for women’s rights.

Tucked away in a narrow valley just south of the North Iceland town of Akureyri, Sverrir Hermannsson's Sundry Collection (Smámunasafn Sverris Hermanssonar) displays one man’s extraordinary collection of ordinary things. Sverrir Hermansson was a carpenter and self-described eccentric whose main goal in life was simply to collect things, and the museum is a tribute to his compulsion to accumulate and care for the many items he came across during his carpentry work. Inside you'll find items such as doors, windows, antique nails, tools, pencils, keys, and matchbooks—each carefully and lovingly displayed.

Don’t miss: The historic turf church on the hillside behind the museum.