The Sun Voyager is a stainless-steel sculpture by Jón Gunnar Árnason, standing on the Reykjavík seafront beside the Sæbraut road. It won a competition held in 1986 for the 200th anniversary of the city, and was unveiled on 18 August 1990, the city's birthday. Árnason called the work a dream boat and an ode to the sun, meant to carry the promise of undiscovered territory. It sits on a circle of granite slabs at the water's edge, on the shore path out of the city centre.
Sun Voyager
Local name: Sólfarið
The ship points north, not west towards the setting sun it was conceived for: the artist's preferred sites fell through, and he agreed to the seafront spot anyway.
- Entrance
- Free. No ticket and no barrier.
- Accessibility
- Wheelchair-accessible entrance, on flat ground beside the shore path.
- Parking
- Street parking along the seafront, partly free and partly paid; paid car parks in the area. The two car parks closest to the sculpture, about 150 m away, are private.
- Difficulty
- No trail and no climb. The sculpture stands on a circle of granite slabs at the edge of the shore path.
- Transport
- Bus stop Sólfarið, about 80 m from the sculpture.
- Hours
- Open 24 hours, every day.
- Address
- Sæbraut, 101 Reykjavík
What makes it special
In photographs the Sun Voyager looks like a small ornament. Up close it is massive — a steel skeleton of a ship, set low on granite at the water's edge.
The view behind it does half the work. Mount Esja rises across the bay, and the polished steel picks up whatever light is on the water. Most people read the piece as a Viking ship. Árnason described it as a dream boat and an ode to the sun, a work about hope, progress and freedom rather than a replica of anything that sailed. There are places to sit by the sculpture, and the shore path carries on in both directions.
Good to know
- It draws photographers. People gather at the prow and take turns. Step back and wait, or shoot from further along the path.
- Bring sunglasses on a bright day. Polished steel over open water throws a lot of glare.
- No toilets at the sculpture. The nearest public toilets are about 200 m away and free to use.
- The sculpture is the whole visit. There is nothing indoors here — only the shore path, the benches and the view across the bay.
Getting there
The Sun Voyager stands on the seafront on Sæbraut, on the shore path that runs out of central Reykjavík past Harpa concert hall. Walkers reach it along that path, and the sculpture sits on a circle of granite slabs at the edge of it — no steps, no climb. Buses stop on Sæbraut beside it. Drivers use street parking along the seafront; the car parks closest to the sculpture are private.
Best time to visit
Best: sunrise and sunset.
Avoid: rain. The site is open to the bay with no shelter, and there is nothing to do here but look at the sculpture.
Low sun runs along the polished steel and lifts the ship off the dark water, which is why the same two hours fill up with cameras.
Sun & daylight
Nearby Places
Similar Places
Your whole travel map in one place
Get inspired by new places around the world and find the ones worth the journey
Frequently asked questions
Is there a charge to see the Sun Voyager?
No. The sculpture stands in the open beside the seafront road, with no ticket and no barrier, and it can be visited at any hour.Is the Sun Voyager a Viking ship?
No. Jón Gunnar Árnason described it as a dream boat and an ode to the sun, meant to convey hope, progress and freedom. It is not a replica of a historical vessel.When was it built?
Árnason's design won a competition in 1986 held for the 200th anniversary of Reykjavík. The full-sized sculpture was unveiled on Sæbraut on 18 August 1990, the city's birthday.How do you reach it without a car?
A bus stop named Sólfarið is beside the sculpture on Sæbraut. On foot, the shore path from central Reykjavík and Harpa concert hall leads straight to it.Are there toilets nearby?
There are none at the sculpture. The nearest public toilets are about 200 m away and free to use; a second set about 570 m away charges a fee.