Viking World is a museum by the sea at Keflavík, on the Reykjanes Peninsula. Its centrepiece is Íslendingur, a full-scale replica of a ninth-century longship that was sailed across the North Atlantic to North America in 2000. Visitors can climb aboard. The exhibitions around it cover the settlement of Iceland, Norse mythology and the voyages west, with a short film and a display of Greenland Inuit carvings. The museum is small, and the ship is the reason to come.
Viking World
Local name: Víkingaheimar
Íslendingur is not a model: the longship in the hall was sailed across the North Atlantic to North America in 2000, and you can stand on its deck.
- Entrance
- Admission is charged and paid at the front desk on arrival. Current prices are on the museum website.
- Accessibility
- Step-free entrance, wheelchair-accessible parking and an accessible toilet.
- Parking
- Free car park at the museum; street parking is free as well.
- Transport
- Just off Route 41 (Reykjanesbraut)
- Advance booking
- Not needed. Tickets are bought at the front desk on arrival.
- Hours
- Open daily, 9:00–17:00.
- Address
- Víkingabraut 1, 260 Njarðvík
What makes it special
The hall is built around one object: Íslendingur, a full-scale replica of a ninth-century longship. It is not a static model. The ship was sailed across the North Atlantic to North America in 2000, and visitors climb aboard and stand on the open deck. From human scale it looks huge. As an ocean-going vessel it looks alarmingly small, and that is the point the visit makes.
The rest of the museum is modest. Large sign boards cover the settlement of Iceland, Norse mythology and the voyages west, and there is a short film, a window looking out to the sea and a display of Greenland Inuit carvings. Viking costumes are laid out to try on, which is what most families end up photographing.
Good to know
- The ship carries the visit. Beyond Íslendingur the museum is small: a few large sign boards, a short film and a display of carvings.
- The cafe is not always open. There are plenty of tables, but do not plan a meal around it.
- Do not skip the buildings outside. They stand on the same site and are easy to miss on the way back to the car.
- It works with children. Viking costumes are laid out to try on, the ship can be boarded, and there are toilets on site.
Getting there
Viking World stands by the sea at Keflavík, and almost everyone arrives by car. The museum has its own car park, and the entrance from it is step-free. More buildings stand outside on the same site, so walk round them before you drive off.
Things to do nearby
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Frequently asked questions
What is the main exhibit at Viking World?
Íslendingur, a full-scale replica of a ninth-century longship. It was sailed across the North Atlantic to North America in 2000. Visitors climb aboard and stand on the deck.How long does a visit take?
The museum is small. One visitor read every sign board, watched the short film and took photographs, and still ran out of things to do in about two hours.Are there guided tours?
Do not count on one. The exhibits are explained by large sign boards and a short film, and the front desk is the staffed point in the building.What do the exhibitions cover apart from the ship?
The settlement of Iceland, Norse mythology and the Norse voyages to North America. There is also a display of Greenland Inuit carvings and a set of Viking costumes to try on.