Reykjavik Maritime Museum, Maritime museum at Old Harbour, Reykjavik, Iceland
The Reykjavik Maritime Museum is housed in a former fish freezing plant from 1947 and presents seven exhibitions on Icelandic maritime history. The space documents the shift from simple rowboats to modern fishing vessels that shaped life on this island.
The museum opened in 2005 and grew in 2008 with the addition of the Coast Guard vessel Odinn, which was involved in Icelandic border water disputes. The ship stands as a reminder of a key moment when Iceland asserted control over its surrounding seas.
The exhibitions show how ships and the sea shaped Icelandic life, from early fishing communities to modern times. You can see how people built and used their boats to survive and work.
The museum sits at the Old Harbour and is easy to reach on foot, with clear signs from the city center. Plan enough time for your visit since the exhibitions are detailed and the vessel moored at the pier can also be explored.
The museum displays the Magni, the first steel ship built in Iceland, which operated until 1987. This vessel is a rare example of Icelandic engineering and maritime industry from an earlier era.
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