6 Best Sights in Reykjavík, Iceland

Also known as Hafnarhús, this former warehouse of the Port of Reykjavík now houses the city's main art museum. Six gallery halls occupy two floors, and there's a courtyard and "multipurpose" space. The museum's permanent collection includes a large number of works donated by the contemporary Icelandic artist Erró. There are also regular temporary exhibitions. Admission is free with the Reykjavík City Card.

Some of Ásmundur Sveinsson's original sculptures, depicting ordinary working people, myths, and folktale episodes, are exhibited in the museum's gallery and studio and in the surrounding garden. It's on the southwest edge of Laugardalur Park, opposite the traffic circle at its entrance. Entrance is free with the Reykjavík City Card.

Inside this modernist building you'll find an impressive permanent exhibit dedicated to the life and works of Jóhannes Sveinsson Kjarval (1885–1972), one of Iceland's most beloved landscape painters. In addition to Kjarval's key works, there's also a rotation of temporary exhibits featuring the works of both local and international artists. Entrance is free with the Reykjavík City Card.

Established in 1884, the National Gallery is the country's premier art museum, responsible for the collection, conservation, research, education, and presentation of Icelandic art. Rotating exhibitions highlight various aspects of Icelandic art practices and a diverse range of artists. The Vasulka Chamber Center for New Media Art is housed within the National Gallery of Iceland—it maintains materials on the life and work of Steina and Woody Vasulka and is dedicated to the study, collection, and display of video, digital, audio, and multimedia art in Iceland.

Also known as the Living Art Museum, Nýló is located inside the Marshall House and displays some of the more experimental works by local artists. Media range from paint and plant-flavored ice cream to video and sculpture.

At this museum you can explore thousands of photographs from both amateur and professional photographers, dating back as far as 1860. This is a unique opportunity to explore more than 100 years of Reykjavík—and Iceland—through a variety of perspectives.