Whales Of Iceland Admission Ticket

In Reykjavik in mid-September 2026 for 36 hours before departing on Quark Expedition’s Ultramarine for a polar exploration of the east coast of Greenland, I had time to seek out events and locations I had missed during earlier visits to Iceland. I noticed Whales of Iceland, an interactive museum located not far from The Lava Show and Flyover Iceland, which I had experienced on my last visit to the country. The museum is accessible via the Fiskislóð bus stop on Bus NR. 14, is on a Hop-On Hop-Off city sightseeing tour, and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission for adults is 4300 ISK, 2150 ISK for children 7 - 15 years, 8600 ISK for families (2 adults, 2 kids), and children six and under are free. I learned upon arrival that discounts are available for seniors, students, and Reykjavík City Card holders when booked onsite. With my smartphone serving as an audio guide, I explored the exhibits – 23 full-size whale models, each with a story to tell. The exhibited whales are described in rich detail using the free educational audio guide (which is why you might want to bring headphones for your smartphone, so that you can listen without disturbing others). The guide is available in English, Icelandic, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish, Faroese, Polish, Russian, Mandarin Chinese, and Japanese. The museum also offers free live guided tours, offered daily at 11:00 and 15:00 for all ticket holders at no extra cost. Each guided tour takes about 30 minutes. I also watched, included in the cost of admission, two 20-minute professionally produced films – Whale Wisdom (narrated by Sir David Attenborough), and Sonic Sea, which describes the impact of industrial and military ocean noise on whales and other marine life. The museum was spacious and not particularly crowded, and staff members were uniformly helpful and enthusiastic. As I completed my visit, it was nice to stop by the Big Little Whale Café for a hot chocolate, while seeing what books were on display at the museum’s bookstore and library. All told, I spent about an hour there and found it a great way to explore one of Reykjavik’s essential attractions.

Over exceeded our expectations. Such a cool place and can easily spend 2-3 hours here.

Spent a few hours here and really enjoyed it. The audio tour was very descriptive and the film's shown were a great addition to the overall price.

Small museum and we were done quickly The girl who checked us in was lovely and helpful I had made an error not realizing I had only charged one ticket and she helped me quickly Annoyed after realizing you offer a senior discount Movies were interesting Done quickly expensive for the short experience

Whilst informative and great to see life size models. Very very expensive for what it is.

This little museum is a real gem. I learned a lot. The films were amazing

Really enjoyed this. It is doable in an hour. If you do not want to watch the documentary segment shown. Tip: as I had another tour about following this and was in a slight rush I managed to find these online really worth pairing this up with a while watching trip either before or after. Interactive and informative . Such beautiful creatures.

Surprisingly fantastic tour with Sean. He has a great understanding of the whales and explains each very well. We had walked the museum by ourselves but the tour takes it to a completely different level. One of the best things to do in Reykjavik - especially if you plant to whale watch do this first.

Pay for the audio tour. It is very well done. The life like models of whales are great. My photo does not do this place justice.

The museum was amazing. The video about the wisdom of whales was so intriguing and diverse. It was 50 minutes long but didn’t seem like it. Definitely worth the time to watch. I was disappointed to learn there was a senior discount that wasn’t available online. When we mentioned it at the check-in, the clerk didn’t offer a refund or anything in return, she just said it wasn’t available online.

Nice museum Appreciated the audio input

A Brilliant Deep Dive for Curious Minds of All Ages This is a must-do if you have any interest in whale biology, and it’s a fantastic way to get kids fascinated with marine mammals. For Kids: The life-size replicas are absolutely stunning. Walking underneath models of that scale creates an immediate "wow" factor that captivates children while staying just as impressive for adults. For Adults & Enthusiasts: There is more than enough scientific research provided to keep adults thoroughly engaged. While some of the deeper technical details might go over a young child's head, the exhibit strikes a great balance. It serves as an accessible introduction for beginners while seamlessly pulling together more advanced research for those who already have a background in marine biology. Live Tours: They also offer daily live-guided tours included right in the ticket price, which add great context and narrative to the exhibition. Highly recommended for families, nature lovers, and science enthusiasts alike!

amazing guide from Spain, first time I saw whales, the greatest memories, I love whales

The Whales of Iceland in Reykjavík was absolutely amazing! The life-size whale models are spectacular, and the exhibits are beautifully presented and incredibly informative. We learned so much about these magnificent creatures and Iceland’s marine life. It was fascinating, impressive, and enjoyable from beginning to end. A must-see when visiting Reykjavík—I highly recommend it!

On of the biggest (positive) surprises among the places we've visited in Reykiavik. Real-life size models of whales doesn't seem like much, but the way the exposition has been built, they make a huge impression (not only on the kids, but they also made on us). A lot more informative than I expected, also some extra activities for the kids (when we were there - origami) and cafe to rest, were a nice bonus.

You can experience something amazing there.

We didn’t spend long there (mainly as we have a 5 year old) but it was a nice intro to whales before going whale watching. We hadn’t seen any models like that before so it was interesting to see. Also a good film being shown.

Our three grandkids (6, 5 and 2) really loved it. It gave them an idea of the size and features of the various whales, in a fun and relaxed setting. The activity sheets were nice to do as well.

A wonderful activity for a wet afternoon, impressive whale models, cool theatre show at the back, the kids corner was just the right level of interesting for young and old alike, and the cafe was great too. Shop was expectantly expensive but had some lovely things in there! Would recommend - you could spend 10min in there or easily 3 hours if you wanted.

Lovely museum with detailed life size models of many types of whales. The exhibits hang from the ceiling and with the blue walls, they seem to be swimming in the ocean. I can really appreciate the enormity and beauty of these gentle giants. I learned a lot from the videos as well.

Hugely expensive and not much to see, just some whale models (which are good) but I expected to see more for the high entry price. Bought tickets on arrival, didn’t research before going in. My husband thought it would be worth a look. Maybe good for younger kids. Ours are teens.

Really enjoyed this, even though the cost is a little high. Spent an hour, or a little more, including the cafe. Very cool to compare life size whales to human size. Also surprised how small the whale eyes are

The museum has life sized models of whales, which was really interesting to see. It was a spacious museum that gave a peaceful feel and we wandered around at our own pace. Really recommend it.

A fun stop on day one of our trip to Iceland. Amazing how large these whales are. Deceptive how they could fit so many life size representations in the building. Learned a lot

This turned out to be such an unexpectedly fun and educational stop. The 23 life‑size, hand‑painted models are super neat to see up close, including a massive 25‑meter blue whale that absolutely steals the show. I thought I’d get bored quickly, but it was genuinely fascinating. The soft lighting and ambient ocean sounds make it feel like you’re walking underwater, and the interactive information stations were way more engaging and educational than I expected.

Immersive, live action, better than anything online or YouTube. Terrific knowledgeable guide explaining the phenomenon

I wish there was more! It was very fascinating and a bit mind-boggling to see just how big whales are!!

The Whales of Iceland was a great exhibit! It was amazing to see the scale of these incredible animals. The museum is very nice and they have a great little cafe too. We did this on our first day in Iceland and it was a perfect family activity. We would highly recommend!

This was an amazing museum and exhibit, the audio was excellent and the movies were so informative. Great to do on such a blessed day today.

I was amazed at seeing all the whales in lifelike size and the large variety of the species. Knowledge of their woes from human advancement in technology were distressing, such a lovely creature

The Whales of Iceland experience was extremely educational and interactive. We got off at this stop whilst on the Hop on Hop off bus, the initial thought of the building was it was quite small, however when we went inside, we were taken back of the size of the unit inside and the details of these magnificent sea creates that live in the world's oceans. The site was extremely clean, ideally laid on, easily accessible and ample space for visitors to enjoy the interactive sections of the exhibitions. It is somewhat expensive however, we felt that it was well worth the money. Would highly recommend if you are visiting Reykjavik.

The movie was life-changing. I’m an environmentalist by trade, and even though I knew/studied so much of what was in the movie within my education and as my career, I still learned and found it valuable. I can only imagine the impact it has on lay folks. The self guided tour was quite easy and a really good way for a neurodivergent individual to experience a museum. The low lighting, self guided pace, and self directed audio offers lots of choice and control over the experience. Know that you are exploring whales through 99% replicas - set your expectations. I loved the art exhibit at the end! Bring ear buds/headphones.

The most valued experience was seeing whales in their life size. It is so difficult to have a precise comparison of how big these creatures are and there is the chance to see their proportion with your own eyes. We also liked the films about their life, orcas or sperm whales etc., it feels different next to the animal models than at home on TV. For us it was highly enjoyable anf though we are 50 yrs old, we still learned a lot.

We loved this museum! Lots of useful information - and not too big or too small. The video/movies were GREAT and made the experience more complete (plan to spend the time to watch them!) Good for older elementary kids or older - we went with teens and they all enjoyed it. A pleasant surprise was the quality of the food at the little cafe AND some unique gifts in the gift shop. 6 stars out of 5 :)

The movies were good and informative. The kids play area was great. Our grandkids would love it! The species models were well done and the write ups not too long . We stayed longer than I thought we might.

Reasonable value for an intetesting and informative exibition.

Wonderful display of some of the biggest blue giants. It was incredible to see a real size models of blue whale and many others. Would really recommend!

This is an informative and nicely organized exhibition that helps people get closer to these amazing creatures. Everything was good, probably more focus could be put on pollution issues and ways of helping experts who work on this field.

We visited Whales of Iceland as I have an interest in whales. The life-size whale sculptures are impressive in terms of scale, and it’s interesting to see just how large the different species are. There is information displayed with each whale, so you can learn some facts as you walk around. A good part of the attraction was the audio guide, which was very useful. It added extra detail and made the experience a bit more engaging than just reading the boards. The museum itself isn’t very big, and you can walk through it quite quickly — around 45 minutes is enough to see everything without rushing. There’s a small gift shop, lockers available for your belongings, and toilet facilities, which is convenient. Overall, it’s a decent attraction, and I would recommend it — particularly if you have an interest in whales.

Wonderful museum! Educational and entertaining! We learned so much, had a coffee at the little cafe, and loved the top quality gift shop.

Beautiful displays! Learned so much in the audio tour. A highlight of my Iceland adventure

Nice location. Good information. Amazing displays. A mini pay areas with square activity. For kids or kids at heart.

It was very impressive to see all of the life-size displays, the free audio tours made it a lot easier to follow along.

The Whae Museum was a highlight of our trip to Iceland. First of all it is such a beautiful variety of exhibits with life size whales, blue lighting, and ocean sounds- a very cool immersive experience. Beyond that it was interactive with a fun scavenger hunt/quiz, origami making spot, and video space to learn about advocacy around conservation and whale protection. It was great to learn about the local wildlife and various advocacy initiatives that are taking place in the region and informed us to not eat whale, shark, or puffin. Amazing experience all around!

Okay, wishing for more interactive content. Movies should be shorter and more frequently shown. Fun guided tour, engaging kids, in English would be welcome. One has a feeling that staff is sleeping behind the counter.

This museum was incredibly interesting, so informative. Life like models of Whales and a wealth of information about them. They show a short film on how our oceans are full of noise produced by mankind and how it impacts marine life. Everyone on this planet should watch this film. It really stays with you and makes you think. Whales are mammals and their behavior is much like ours. Language, family units, relationships just to name a few. This museum is eye opening and so educational. We need to do a better job with noise pollution in our oceans for their sake and ours. The future depends upon it.

Great place to visit, I recommend

If you’re actually interested and take your time, it’s really cool. Inside are whale models, short films, interactive displays, some skeletons, PCs with science projects and a huge screen with a very interesting and touching high quality 50min movie in English about whales and their intelligence. On the walls are QR Codes that you can scan to listen to the audio tour in many languages on your own phone. Be aware: the main attraction are the whale models. So if you are not interested in seeing and understanding those, you might not be at the right place. Pro tip: bring your own headphones for the Audio Guide and check the movie times on other the end of the hall (not to late), so you can watch the whole film. For kids there is an orca climbing frame, tables with drawing and origami stuff about whales. There are also places to sit and eat and of course toilets as well as a cute souvenir shop.

This was a great time filler between activities as it is close to downtown and takes 1-2 hours. My 7and 9 yo loved it. My 4 yos not so much. There is a lot of reading involved, so it's better for older inquisitive children.