The Settlement Exhibition
The Settlement Exhibition
4.5
Speciality MuseumsHistory Museums
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
The Settlement Exhibition - Step into the Viking Age. An open excavation where Viking ruins meet digital technology. Just below ground in downtown Reykjavik, this open excavation uncovers the city's Viking Age history. Discovered during building work, then carefully excavated, these remnants of the past are the earliest evidence of human settlement in the city. Family-friendly, including a children's activity area, this multimedia exhibition uses creative technology to immerse you in the Viking Age. Open daily 09:00-18:00 (9 am - 6 pm). Guided tours in summer on weekdays at 11:00
Duration: < 1 hour
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  • Wendolin
    Chelmsford, United Kingdom71 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Spend a few hours hear-fascinating!
    Decided to visit whilst wandering around town. Thought we'd pass an hour before something else we booked...nearly missed it as the exhibition has loads to read and we could have easily spent half the day there. Fascinating history of the first settlers in Iceland then coming right up to current day on the upper floors. The actual long house excavation is a highlight. Great for couples and families. We'll worth a visit.
    Visited November 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written November 6, 2023
  • Lyss
    27 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Such a cool look into Viking history
    The settlement itself is so cool. I love that they left the house there and constructed the museum around it. They didn’t have a ton of Viking artifacts, but just seeing and being that close to a real Viking settlement was amazing! They have some really cool exhibits with technology intertwined in them. The little play area in the front is so fun too. We almost spent as much time out there playing games as we did in the exhibit itself!
    Visited November 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written November 20, 2023
  • Darryl Y
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great experience and History
    This place is great! They have a huge selection of all kinds of artifacts, videos, and knowledgeable friendly staff, to go along with a beautiful layout of the show room. I very impressed with animation of how the Icelander lived and survive in the past. I’ll definitely be back!”
    Visited November 2023
    Traveled solo
    Written November 24, 2023
  • Mike S
    Maryland11 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Hidden Historical Gem
    This museum is a real hidden gem in Reykjavik if you love history. The archaeological exhibit of the original settlement that was unearthed is still situated in its original form below ground level, and you can walk 360 degrees around it. There is lots of information about life and early history of Iceland's settlement on the walls. After you leave the settlement site, you go through another section of the museum that tells the history of Reykjavik from the earliest settlers up to the modern era. I'm the type of person who reads every placard and display, and it took me about 2 hours to tour the whole museum. If you're not reading the history, you could probably tour it in 30 minutes.
    Visited February 2024
    Traveled solo
    Written March 14, 2024
  • Megan F
    McKinney, Texas84 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Pleasant Historical Stop
    Whether you’re visiting Iceland for the first time or a fan of history, this museum is an enjoyable stop on your Reykjavik journey. The museum showcases historical pieces of Iceland from the 9th century onward. Explore the remains of a 10th century longhouse, discover excavated items such as axe heads and fishhooks, view downtown Reykjavik in the early 20th century, and make sure to stop at the gift shop on the way out.
    Visited March 2024
    Traveled solo
    Written April 12, 2024
  • Mary O
    Denver, Colorado28 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A Good Starting Place for understanding Reykjavik’s history.
    The settlement exhibition was recommended to us by my godson, who is a student at Reykjavík University. I thought it did a good job of explaining who was living in Reykjavík in those early years, and a little bit about how they lived and why they had traveled there. I thought the displays were informative.
    Visited May 2024
    Traveled with friends
    Written June 4, 2024
  • Gary R
    Borehamwood, United Kingdom30 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Journey through Icelandic history.
    Excellent guide through Icelandic history. We took the free English tour which was very good. The mainstay of the place is the excavated remains of a long house and takes you through time to the current day, ending at one, if not the oldest house in Reykjavik.
    Visited June 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written June 7, 2024
  • maapar
    Mount Pleasant, South Carolina968 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Learn about Icelandic history
    Visited here our first day in Reykjavik and were glad we did. It provided a look at ancient Viking history as well as tracing the settlement of Iceland through the years. As a history buff, found it fascinating and worth a visit.
    Visited June 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written June 25, 2024
  • dwyerdcw
    Etowah, North Carolina58 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great presentation of Reykjavik's and Icelandic culture!
    We entered the Settlement Exhibition through the Adelstrati 10 Museum which was only a few doors down from our hotel. Adelstrati 10 is worth the short time necessary to see it but we were totally wowed when we went into the adjoining Settlement Exhibition. Built above and around an excavation of a Viking long house the museum is filled with fascinating artifacts found at the site and nearby. You can see the artifacts up close and then use nearby I-pads to view interpretative information about them. The technology and presentation were of the highest quality that we've seen in any museum. We were fascinated and spend about three hours there. We left with a deeper appreciation of Reykjavik's history and Icelandic culture. Don't miss it!
    Visited June 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written June 28, 2024
  • ChinaShrek
    Maine443 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Worth seeing if you like Viking history
    I went to this this attraction because I am a high school social studies teacher and I like history. I suggest visiting the National Museum first and then coming here. This museum is only about the history of Reykjavik. The National Museum covers the entires history of Iceland. Here, there is a Viking Longhouse that was discovered on the sight and this is the highlight of the museum. Admission is 2990 Kroner or about $21. I thought that was a little pricey.
    Visited July 2024
    Traveled solo
    Written July 10, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles3,158 reviews
Excellent
1,613
Very good
1,110
Average
366
Poor
60
Terrible
9

Mike W
Chichester, UK8 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
Not the biggest of exhibitions, but interesting nonetheless. It was a shame the main video exhibit was not working, we just had to settle for audio only. The main attraction is to see an exchavation of a real early Icelanding buiding that the museum has been contructed around as a protective enclosure. Again, its free admission on the Reykjavik City Card.
Written February 4, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

David R
Nashville, TN45 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
If you like firsthand experiences of the earliest history of foreign places & appreciate concise, well-presented educational support materials that appeal to your intellect & imagination, & have about an hour to use attentively, then this attraction is the right place for you. This underground exhibition is essentially the rock foundation remains of the oldest man-made structure in Iceland, a Viking longhouse & some fragments of a wall, dated to just before a volcanic eruption in 871.

The site was discovered & excavated in 2001 during a hotel construction project & is incorporated into the modern architectural footprint. Among the coolest features of the dimly-lit installation design is a large window that separates the upper street level from the lower excavation (about 10 feet), so visitors can look up at pedestrians looking down. The longhouse itself measures around 60’ in length and 22’ in width, and is 85% surrounded by a ramp that allows you to fully walk around the ruin while selectively engaging the interpretive videos and labels mounted adjacent to it. Several buttons mounted on text panels allow you to literally highlight a specific portion of the structure, including a nifty projection of a fire in the central hearth. There’s a Viking cosplay area for younger kids and at least one computer set up to provide deeper didactic information. The gift shop has the usual tourist stuff, but also has a lot of interesting books on Icelandic culture.

I also learned that archeologists are still revising the earliest history of the exploration and colonization of Iceland, and the fact that the site is a brief walk from the current harbor allows one to better contextualize modern Reykjavik. A few nails, fragments of tools & weapons, & a bracelet added further color, and the hotel cafe next door provided a welcome rest stop. Worth it just for the educational value.
Written February 28, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

619fep
13 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Couples
We really enjoyed this small museum and well done exhibit highlighting an original long house dating back to the founding of Reykjavik. Unfortunately our driver had no idea what we were looking for so eventually just walked there. Unique setting under a hotel! Lovely part of town.
Written February 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Harry M
Rochester, UK16 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
Not a big museum, can only be around 90 minutes or so of material here but it's really good. Properly good and thorough information. Maybe could be a bit more interactive, not sure I'd want to take smaller children.
Written March 6, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

lonewolf44
Kingston upon Thames, UK1,303 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2021
The Settlement Museum is literally built around the remains of a Viking long hall, housing 8-10 of Reykjavik's original inhabitants at the end of the 9th century. You follow a series of exhibits of finds from the site, interactive displays and information panels round the remains of the hall. You really do get a good sense of what Reykjavik was like when humans first arrived in Iceland. It's worth taking time to look at the computer displays in the entrance hall which tell the story of how the site was conserved and how it was originally settled. As the Settlement Museum is handily located near Tjorbin (the City Lake) it is well worth an hour of your time if you want to learn about how Reykjavik began.
Written July 27, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Hrothmir
Smyrna, GA220 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2022
Some of the older reviews describe this as "just one room." It is now connected via a tunnel to the City Museum (included in the price) - so allow time for both.

The main site here is a large, dark underground room built around some ruins - foundations of a longhouse. The ruins themselves aren't that visually exciting, in my opinion; but it is interesting to be close to something this old (from around the year 871) and there is a fair amount of content you can read to learn about Icelandic history.

This site is covered by the City Card, worth getting if you plan to visit several museums in Reykjavik.
Written June 25, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Meredith H
Wilmington, NC26 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
This was the perfect activity for a bad weather day just hanging around Reykjavík. Definitely wait for the guided tour, as that’s what makes the experience. Our guide was a historian who was a wonderful storyteller and shared lots of interesting facts. This dig is actually right where they found it and then built the museum around it.
Written February 19, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Hilaria F
Vejle, Denmark189 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2020
It's amazing to me that the archaeologists have found these remains and been able to date them so closely by using information about volcanic eruptions and layers of ice!
Inside the basement you can see the remains of a turf wall from before 870 AD - the oldest building in iceland as I remember - and a later building which is a real Viking hall. Spotlights illuminate the different parts of the site while you can read about what they looked like, how they were used, and how they know. There was also an interactive graphic to help reconstruct the building from the inside out in pictures, and all round the walls, small screens make the scene come alive and help visitors to visualise Reykjavik as it must have looked when the hall was in use.
The museum is very dark! It took us about 1 hour to go around reading all the information - everything is in one main room.
Written July 26, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

CRQT
Saratoga Springs, NY43 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
Get all you need to know about the Vikings from this little museum which is located underground in the Old Town area. The museum is situated around an excavation of a Viking Long House and really does a great job of explaining how their houses were built, what they did, how they lived, etc. If you want to know even more you can visit the National History Museum, but if you don't, then this little place is a great stop. They also have a really good bookstore.
Written January 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

donna h
Paris, France55 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2019
This was a wonderful exhibition, set up in a very innovative way. We thoroughly enjoyed reading about the early settlers in Reykjavik and the flow of the exhibition. There were few people there, so even though the room was small, it did not feel crowded. Best of all, it was right next to our hotel!
Written February 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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The Settlement Exhibition - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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