Reykjavík Maritime Museum
The Reykjavík Maritime Museum sits at the old harbour in a building that was originally constructed as a fish-freezing plant, giving the space an authenticity that purpose-built museums rarely achieve. Opened in 2005, its permanent exhibition Fish and Folk covers 150 years of Icelandic fisheries, from the transition away from rowing boats in the late 19th century through to the highly regulated modern industry. The museum also includes the coastguard vessel Óðinn moored alongside, a 900-tonne ship with a direct role in the Cod Wars between Iceland and the United Kingdom in the 1950s through 1970s, and daily guided tours of the vessel run at 1pm, 2pm, and 3pm from March to October.
Iceland's Fishing Story, Told from a Former Fish-Freezing Plant on the Reykjavík Harbour
The Reykjavík Maritime Museum is housed in a building at Grandagarður 8 that was originally constructed as part of the city's fish-processing infrastructure, and the connection between the building's industrial past and the stories it now tells is palpable throughout. The main exhibition, Fish and Folk: 150 Years of Fisheries, traces the transformation of Iceland's fishing industry from the age of open rowing boats through to the large factory vessels and quota management systems of the late 20th century. The entrance to the exhibition passes through a reconstructed section of the steamship Gullfoss from 1915, and a 17-metre wooden pier runs through the central hall with seawater flowing beneath it, creating a space that feels as much like a working harbour as a museum gallery.
The coastguard vessel Óðinn, moored at the pier beside the museum, is the highlight for many visitors. The 900-tonne ship served Iceland's coastguard from 1960 and took an active part in all three of the Cod Wars, the series of confrontations between Iceland and the United Kingdom over fishing rights in the North Atlantic between the 1950s and 1970s. Iceland ultimately won each round of the dispute, extending its exclusive fishing zone progressively from 4 miles to 12, then 50, and finally 200 nautical miles, the last extension in 1976 effectively ending the wars. Guided tours of the Óðinn run at 1pm, 2pm, and 3pm daily from 1 March to 31 October, lasting approximately one hour and covering both the vessel's operational history and the broader story of the Cod Wars.
The museum is part of the Reykjavík City Museum group, and entry to the permanent exhibition is covered by the Reykjavík City Card. Children under 17 and seniors enter free. The museum is open daily from 10am to 5pm. It sits on Grandagarður at the old harbour, a short walk from the Harpa Concert Hall and the Whales of Iceland exhibition, making it a natural component of a harbour-focused day in Reykjavík. Admission prices vary depending on whether the Óðinn tour is included; check the museum website for current rates as prices are updated periodically.
