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Arts and culture

Reykjavík has a remarkably active cultural scene for a city of its size. There are a number of art galleries, theaters and concert venues. Some of these are listed below, but many of the places mentioned in the “drink” section below also frequently host concerts. There are no dedicated literary locations listed here, but for book readings it may be best to visit book stores and libraries and ask the staff what's coming up.

<do name="National Gallery of Iceland" alt="Listasafn Íslands" address="Fríkirkjuvegi 7" directions="by the eastern bank of Tjörnin" phone="+354 515 9600" url="http://www.listasafn.is/?root=1" hours="11am-5pm daily, closed Mondays" price="800 kr., free for children under 18" lat="" long="" email="list@listasafn.is" fax="">the national art gallery with a large collaction of works by Icelandic 19th and 20th century artists, as well as some works by foreign artists including Picasso, Munch and others.</do>

<do name="Reykjavík Art Museum - Hafnarhús" alt="" address="Tryggvagata 17" directions="" phone="+354 590 1200" url="http://www.artmuseum.is/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-2172/3366_read-6270" hours="10am-8pm Thursdays, 10am-5pm all other days" price="Adults: 1000 kr., students under 25: 500 kr., children under 18: free" lat="" long="" email="listasafn@reykjavik.is" fax="">By the old harbour in Reykjavík, Hafnarhúsið hosts a rotating exhibitions of the work of Icelandic artist Erró and temporary exhibitions often showcase other local artists.</do>

<do name="Reykjavík Art Museum - Kjarvalsstaðir" alt="" address="Flókagata" directions="in Klambratún park" phone="+354 517 1290" url="http://www.artmuseum.is/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-2173/3432_read-6298" hours="" price="Adults: 1000 kr., students under 25: 500 kr., children under 18: free" lat="" long="" email="listasafn@reykjavik.is" fax="">It is safe to say that Jóhannes Kjarval (1885-1972) is the single biggest name in Icelandic painting. Kjarvalsstaðir hosts a collection of his work, as well as hosting other temporary exhibitions.</do>

<do name="Reykjavik Museum of Photography" alt="Ljósmyndasafn Reykjavíkur" address="Grófarhús, Tyggvagata 15, 6th floor" directions="" phone="" url="http://www.ljosmyndasafnreykjavikur.is/index.html" hours="10-16 (Mo-Fr) and 13-17 (weekends)" price="" lat="" long="">A very small museum with a nice library and reading room where you can find some older (but good) books about photography and current and past issues of photography magazines. It also has a huge collection of Icelandic photographs.</do>

<do name="Nordic House" alt="Norræna húsið" address="Sturlugata 5" directions="in Vatnsmýri, south of Tjörnin" phone="+354 551 7030" url="http://www.nordichouse.is" hours="exhibition space open Tue-Sun 12-17, irregular opening hours for other events but the building is generally open during office hours" price="" lat="" long="" email="nh@nordice.is" fax="">A cultural centre located in Vatnsmýri, just south of the city centre. Art exhibitions, concerts, poetry readings and other cultural events frequently take place here.</do>

<do name="Harpa" alt="" address="Austurbakki 2" directions="just east of the old harbour" phone="+354 528 5050 for tickets" url="http://en.harpa.is/" hours="" price="" lat="" long="" email="" fax="">The new home of the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra and regularly host to other acts as well. Delayed by the economic collapse, this building was under construction for several years before finally opening in May 2011. This marked the end of a long wait for the symphony orchestra, who had been using a cinema as their main venue the last 50 years. Today the symphony plays a concert every Thursday evening from September through June (although often at other times as well), but the building is rarely empty at other times with Iceland's lively music scene having embraced this new location.</do>

<do name="Nasa" alt="" address="by Austurvöllur" directions="" phone="+354 511 1313" url="http://english.nasa.is/" hours="" price="" lat="" long="" email="" fax="">One of the few dedicated music venues in Reykjavík, located right in the heart of the city by Austurvöllur square. Hosts everything from local rock bands to internationally renowed world music groups. Check their listings online.</do>
<do name="National Theatre of Iceland" alt="Þjóðleikhúsið" address="Hverfisgata 19" directions="" phone="+354 551 1200 for tickets" url="http://leikhusid.is/leikhusid/english" hours="" price="" lat="" long="" email="" fax="">A theatre in the centre of Reykjavík, in many ways the focal point of Icelandic theatre. The repertoire is a mix of Icelandic and international plays, both new and old.</do>

<do name="Reykjavík City Theatre" alt="Borgarleikhúsið" address="Listabraut 3" directions="adjecent to Kringlan shopping mall" phone="+354 568 8000 for tickets" url="http://www.borgarleikhus.is/english" hours="" price="" lat="" long="" email="" fax="">Like the national theatre, the city theatre puts on a mix of new Icelandic plays and highlights of international theatre.</do>
<do name="Vesturport" alt="" address="Tjarnarbíó, Tjarnargata 12" directions="on the west bank of Tjörnin" phone="" url="http://www.vesturport.com" hours="" price="" lat="" long="" email="vesturport@vesturport.com" fax="">This experimental theatre group has toured the world and won many prizes for its daring productions which include Romeo and Juliet, Woyczek and others. They have also made films including the acclaimed Children and Parents, in 2006 and 2007 respectively.</do>

Museums

Several museums in Reykjavík celebrate the history of the city, as well as the country itself.

<do name="National Museum of Iceland" alt="Þjóðminjasafnið" address="Suðurgata 41" directions="Bus no. 1,3,4,5,6,12 and 14 stop in front of or near the museum" phone="+354 530 2200" url="http://www.thjodminjasafn.is/english" hours=""Winter (September 16th - April 30th): Daily except Mondays 11-17. Summer (May 1st - September 15th): Daily 10-17." price="General admission: 1000 kr., senior citizens and students: 500 kr., children under 18: free" lat="" long="" email="thjodminjasafn@thjodminjasafn.is" fax="">This museum, located right by the University of Iceland campus, takes the visitor through the history of a nation from settlement to today. Includes a café and a museum shop.</do>

<do name="Reykjavík City Museum" alt="Árbæjarsafn" address="Kistuhyl" directions="Bus nr. 19 from Hlemmur" phone="+354 411 6300" url="http://www.minjasafnreykjavikur.is/english/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-4203" hours="10am-5pm daily between 1 June and 31 August. During winter there are guided tours at 1pm Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays" price="1000 kr., free for children under 18" lat="" long="" email="museum@reykjavik.is" fax="">In the suburb of Árbær, and frequently called Árbæjarsafn (Árbær museum), this open air museum contains both the old farm of Árbær and many buildings from central Reykjavík that were moved there to make way for construction. The result is a village of old buildings where the staff take you through the story of a city. The staff are dressed in old Icelandic clothing styles and trained in various traditional techniques, for example in making dairy products or preparing wool.</do>

<do name="871±2" alt="The Settlement Exhibition" address="Corner of Aðalstræti and Suðurgata" directions="" phone="+354 411 6300" url="http://minjasafnreykjavikur.is/english/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-4206" hours="10am-5pm daily" price="1000 kr., free for children under 18" lat="" long="" email="museum@reykjavik.is" fax=""R>un by the Reykjavík City Museum, this exhibition in central Reykjavík was built around the oldest archaeological ruins in Iceland. As the name indicates, these ruins date to around the year 870. This interactive exhibitions brings you the early history of the area that today forms central Reykjavík.</do>

<do name="The Culture House" alt="Þjóðmenningarhúsið" address="Hverfisgata 15" directions="" phone="+354 545 1400" url="http://www.thjodmenning.is/index_english.htm" hours="11am-5pm daily" price="Adults: 700 kr.; senior citizens, disabled and handicapped: 350 kr.; school-age children accompanied by adults: free. Free on Wednesdays except for groups." lat="" long="" email="thjodmenning@thjodmenning.is" fax="">This grand building, previously housing the national library, is today home two world class exhibitions. On the ground floor is one of the most important collections of medieval manuscripts in the world, including many of the oldest copies of the Icelandic Sagas. The top floor has an impressive exhibition on the Volcanic island of Surtsey, backing the Iceland's campaign to get it recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is fully interactive and a great introduction to the geological hot spot that is Iceland.</do>

Festivals

At least three times a year, Reykjavík comes out to celebrate.

<do name="Culture Night" alt="Menningarnótt" address="" directions="" phone="" url="http://www.menningarnott.is" hours="third saturday of August" price="" lat="" long="" email="" fax="">This is the biggest date in the cultural calendar of Reykjavík. What started out in 1996 as only an evening celebration today starts already in the morning with the Reykjavík Marathon. The day progresses with ever more cultural activities, most of them free, in central Reykjavík and culminates in several huge concerts and a fireworks show by the harbour. Attendence is usually around 100,000 or half of the population of the city.</do>

<do name="Gay Pride" alt="Hinsegin dagar" address="" directions="" phone="" url="http://www.gaypride.is/Index/English/" hours="early August" price="" lat="" long="" email="" fax="">Icelanders are proud of their LGBT community, and every August they show it with one of the biggest annual festivals in Reykjavík. Typically a parade will wind its way through the city with floats of varying degrees of outrageousness. It then ends at Arnarhóll with a large outdoors concert. Gay bars and bars that normally don't self-identify as gay alike tend to be very full this evening. In the preceding days there are various events celebrating LGBT culture.</do>

<do name="National Day" alt="17. júní" address="" directions="" phone="" url="" hours="" price="" lat="" long="" email="" fax="">It may come as a surprise, but the National Day celebrations on June 17th every year are probably the smallest of the three festivals mentioned here. Nonetheless, it is a public holiday day of festivities in the city where people (especially families with children) celebrate the date Iceland was declared a republic in 1944. The date itself was selected because it is the birthday of the Icelandic independence hero Jón Sigurðsson.</do>

Get in touch with nature

If you want to experience some of Iceland's nature but don't have time to leave the capital for too long, don't worry, you have several options to get a good feel for nature and the countryside without actually leaving the city.

<do name="Whale watching" alt="" address="" directions="most ships sail from Ægisgarður in the old harbour" phone="" url="" hours="" price="around 7000-8000 kr., often half price for children" lat="" long="" email="" fax="">With the exception of Húsavík in the north, Reykjavík is actually one of the very best places to go whale watching in Iceland. Whales frequently come into Faxaflói, the large bay which Reykjavík sits by and on a typical trip of around 3 hours you can almost be guaranteed to see at least some minke whales and possibly even a humpback. The companies offering whale watching mostly occupy a small area in the old harbour called Ægisgarður, just across from the iconic whaling ships.</do>

<do name="Horse riding" alt="" address="" directions="" phone="" url="" hours="" price="" lat="" long="" email="" fax="">One of the most popular tourist activities in Iceland due to the special nature of the Icelandic Pony. Although by definition more of a rural activity, there are several companies offering riding tours on the outskirts of Reykjavík, this can be a good option for those not planning on travelling far from the city.</do>

<do name="Hiking" alt="" address="" directions="" phone="" url="" hours="" price="" lat="" long="" email="" fax="">The immediate vicinity of Reykjavík offers some good hiking opportunities. By far the most popular among these is Esjan, the mountain that dominates the view to the north from much of the capital and is easily accessible by bus nr. 57. It's a relatively easy hike although there is a steep patch early on and at the tops there are some cliffs to climb. You can estimate 4-5 hours to get to the top and back again, although experienced walkers will be quicker. Another popular place to experience nature is Heiðmörk , a green belt to the southeast of the capital. Heiðmörk mostly flat and there are many paths criss-crossing the area, but getting there may be difficult without a car.</do>

<do name="Reykjavík Domestic Animal Zoo" alt="Fjölskyldu- og húsdýragarðurinn" address="Hafrafell v/ Engjaveg" directions="in Laugardalur" phone="+354 57 57 800" url="http://www.husdyragardur.is/in-english/" hours="" price="Admission: Adults (12 years +): 450 ISK, Children (Under 4 years): Free, Children (4 - 12): 350 ISK" lat="" long="" email="postur@husdyragardur.is" fax="">This small zoo, in the middle of Reykjavík, is a place where city children can come and get in touch with some of the farming heritage of the country, with most species of domestic animals found in Iceland represented. They also have some non-domestic animals including reindeer and seals.</do>

Geo-Thermal Swimming Pools

Outdoor Geo-Thermal Swimming Pools are an important part of Icelandic culture and a visit to them is a great way to relax with Icelanders. In fact it is not stretching the truth too far to suggest that because drinking is so expensive the hot-pots at these pools serve the same role that pubs and bars do in the rest of Europe.

<see name="Laugardalslaug" alt="" address="Sundlaugarveg" directions="In the same complex as the National Stadium. Near campsite and youth hostel" phone="+354 411 5100" url="http://www.rvk.is/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-283/" hours="" price="450 ISK" lat="" long="" email="laugardalslaug@itr.is" fax="">The city's largest pool with extensive facilities, situated in Laugardalur Valley. It has two large pools for swimming, several hot-pots, a seawater bath, a steam bath, and water slide. It is a well-used large complex that is starting to show its age a little but it is still the best option in the city centre.</see>

<see name="Árbæjarlaug" alt="" address="Fylkisveg, 110 Reykjavík" directions="" phone="+354 411 5200" email="arbaejarlaug@itr.is" fax="" url="http://www.rvk.is/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-278/" hours="Weekdays: 6:30am - 10:30p, Weekends summer: 8am - 10pm, winter: 8am - 8:30pm" price="350 ISK">A brand new complex on the outskirts of the city, it has nice views over the city centre and is a nice place to watch the sunset. There is an indoor and outdoor pool, a waterslide, several hot-pots and a steam bath. This is a favourite with families and is perhaps the nicest of the city's pools. Buses run here from central Reykjavik.</see>

<see name="Sundhollin Swimming Centre" alt="" address="Baronsstigur, 101 Reykjavik" directions="Located a few minutes from Hallgrimskirkja" phone="+354 411 5350" email="sundholl@itr.is" fax="" url="http://www.rvk.is/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-284/" hours="Weekdays: 6:30am - 9pm, Weekends: 8am - 7pm" price="">The city's oldest and only indoor pool (with outdoor hot-pots), located in the city centre. Has a more municipal feel than the other pools, but has a very central location.</see>

<see name="Vesturbæjarlaug" alt="" address="Hofsvallagata, 107 Reykjavik" directions="Located a few minutes from Hotel Saga and the University of Iceland" phone="+354 411 5150" url="http://www.rvk.is/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-285/" hours="Weekdays: 6:30am - 10pm, Weekends: 8am - 8pm" price="" lat="" long="" email="vesturbaejarlaug@itr.is" fax="">The city's oldest outdoor pool. Located in a residential area but within a walking distance of the city center.</see>

<see name="Nautholsvik Thermal Beach" alt="" address="" directions="To the south of the domestic airport" phone="511 6630" url="http://www.rvk.is/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-292/" hours="10:00 to 20:00 from 15th May until 15th September" price="" lat="" long="" email="" fax="">Here you can swim in the Atlantic, because they pipe hot water into the ocean. A beach of golden sand has been created and a “pool” has been enclosed nearby, where the water temperature is about 20ºC. There are several hot-pots. Refreshments and various services are available at the beach.</see>

It is possible to hire swimsuits and towels at all the pools. As Icelandic pools have very minimal amounts of chemicals in them it is very important to shower thoroughly naked beforehand, and pay attention to the notices and posters that highlight hygiene issues.