Reykjavík Maritime Museum
Stories of Sea and Land
Fish & folk – 150 years of fisheries
Reykjavík Maritime Museum has a permanent exhibition entitled Fish & folk – 150 years of fisheries. Characterised by a vibrant atmosphere, this exhibition is designed to deepen the visitor experience through rich visuals and interactivity. The museum also has temporary exhibitions in the Engine Room (Vélasalur) and the Pier Room (Bryggjusalur), in addition to its floating exhibits: the Coast Guard vessel Óðinn and the tugboat Magni, which are tied up at the Museum Pier.
Discover the world of fisheries in a charming location by the Reykjavík Harbour in a building that previously housed the Reykjavík Municipal Fishing Company. This place holds countless stories of the people and the sea, now celebrated in the museum’s exhibitions. The stories explore this mainstay of the nation’s working life and ways of working in the past and present and how the Icelanders’ coexistence with the sea has shaped their history. Also addressed are pressing issues of modern times, such as the sustainability of fishing and environmental aspects of the sea.
Facilities of the Reykjavík Maritime Museum in 1969, then housing the Reykjavík Fisheries (Búr). Women working in fish processing. Grandagarður 8. Photo: Ásgeir Árnason.
Exhibitions
Events
Óðinn Coast Guard Vessel
Óðinn Coast Guard Vessel
We offer daily guided tours on board the Coast Guard vessel Óðinn from 1 March to 31 October with focus on the Cod Wars and the vessel's rescue history.
Óðinn Coast Guard Vessel
The Coast Guard Vessel Óðinn is a part of the Reykjavík Maritime Museum and is at the same time one of the Maritime Museum’s main exhibitions. It is preserved in the condition in which it arrived to the museum in 2008.
We offer guided tours around the vessel every day except during the coldest winter months. It is also open to the public on national holidays, which we announce especially.
A guided tour includes walking around the vessel, hearing about history on board and its role under the Icelandic Coast Guard. Each guided tour takes a little less than an hour.
The Museum's Department of Museum Learning especially welcomes school groups and offers a tailor made educational program for various age groups.
Safety
To ensure safety on board you should keep in mind:
Ceiling can be low and please beware sharp edges. Stairs are steep. The ship is not suited for people with claustrophobia or with reduced mobility.
Children should always be accompanied by grown-ups.
Tugboat Magni
Tugboat Magni
Tugboat Magni was built 1955 and registered in the ship register of Iceland on June 30th the same year. It was the first steel ship to be built in Iceland and operated for Reykjavik Harbour with great pride until 1987.
Magni is 183.97 gross register tonnage, 28.2 meters long, 8.0 meters wide and its tensile strength was around 10 ton. It has a Deutz 1000 horsepower main engine and 2 Deutz auxiliary engines. Today, the ship's engines aren't running . Hjálmar R. Bárðarson designed the ship, which was built at company named Stálsmiðjan (Steelworks Co) in Reykjavík. Magni served the harbour for 32 years and at the time Magni was the main tugboat that operated for the Reykjavik harbour. In this period it was used as a tugboat, an icebreaker, firefighting vessel on Faxaflói Bay.
Tugboat Magni was the first steel ship to be built in Iceland and operated for Reykjavik Harbour with great pride until 1987.
Venue Hire
You can rent the conference room for meetings.
Hornsílið, Meeting Room a whole day, 81,560 ISK
Hornsílið Meeting Room half a day, 50,430 ISK
Hornsílið Meeting Room rent outside opening hours 106,670 ISK
Museum Shop
In our museum shop you'll find gift items reflecting the museum's theme. Holders of the Reykjavík Culture Card get a 10% discount.