Museums in South Iceland
The south of Iceland has a wide variety of museums catering for all interests, both old and new. The Skogar Folk Museum gives a unique view of the way Icelandic fisherman and farmers lived and worked during the last two centuries. In Vík the Brydebuð (e. Brydes Booth) museum offers a seafaring and fisheries exhibition that showcases the extreme hardships suffered by the South coast fisherman. The Njala Centre in Hvollsvellir, revolves around the Icelandic Saga of Njal. This is a very interesting exhibition for all history buffs wanting to know more about the Iceland of old. The same building houses an exhibition detailing the history of the old Southern Iceland Co-operative. It contains many remarkable items which show the commercial history of the South of Iceland. If it were not for this exhibition many priceless articles and information would have been lost forever. The largest town on the southern coast of Iceland, Selfoss, is home to the Folk and Art Museum of the Arnes District.
Vestmannaeyjar offers us Pompei of the North, which is considered one of the most interesting museums of its kind in the world. Visitors can see actual homes that have been dug out of the ashes from the volcano that destroyed a large part of the town in the eruption of 1973. Hekla, which is one of the most active volcanoes in Iceland, has a museum dedicated to it. The Hekla centre is situated in Leirubakki and here visitors are able to get a very real insight into the way this fearsome volcano has affected the lives of people in Iceland throughout the centuries. The Ghost Centre in Stokkeseyri looks at the supernatural side of life in southern Iceland, a spine tingling walk through history. The Elves, Trolls and Northern Lights exhibition is also housed in the same building. The Geysir centre is more than just a museum. On offer is a hotel, restaurant, camping area, quad biking and much more.
These are just a few of the museums that are all within a day’s drive from Reykjavik. Experience the new and the ancient, TravelSouth.
