Arbaer Open Air Museum
Arbaer Open Air Museum
4.5
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
Árbær Open Air Museum - A day out of time Reykjavík's open-air museum, where you can stroll through the past and experience the way we lived. Fun, fascinating and full of surprises, this living museum takes you on a journey through time. Reykjavík's early history is preserved in a series of lovingly-restored homes, where you'll encounter costumed guides, grazing animals and traditional crafts. Exhibitions, demonstrations and tours reveal how Reykjavík came to life, from a few scattered farms to a vibrant capital city. JUNE - AUGUST Open daily 10 AM - 5 PM. SEPTEMBER - MAY Open daily 1 PM - 5 PM. Daily guided tours in English, all year round, at 1 PM - no booking necessary. No guided tours on Dec 25, Jan 1, Good Friday & Easter Sunday. Árbær Open Air Museum is part of Reykjavík City Museum: One museum in five unique places. Welcome!
Duration: 1-2 hours
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- Juliet HReading, United Kingdom408 contributionsFantastic museumThis was a great find and worth making the effort to go out of the city on a local bus (which was included in our Reykjavik pass). The old Icelandic buildings were displayed in an interesting and informative way. I would definitely recommend.Visited July 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten July 9, 2023
- Maggie MMulwala, Australia179 contributionsInteresting insight into how Icelanders livedWe enjoyed a couple of interesting hours at Arbaer, on a mild summer's day in Reykjavik. All the old reconstructed buildings have been moved to the site over about 50 years and provide a good overview of how the Icelanders lived in the past. Most of the buildings are set up as a snapshot in time, as if the family had just stepped out. This time period varies for the buildings, and there are good explanation boards. We loved the turf roofed farmhouse especially. It had a roofed tunnel into the barn area for the animals, necessary in the winter, I'm sure. Staff wearing old fashioned clothes wander around and can answer many questions. The cafe is set in one of the old buildings and had delicious cakes for sale. There is a small shop at the entrance to the site, as well as a lolly shop selling among other things yummy licorice. The site would be fun for families, there were a number of children while we were there and they appeared to be having fun with the provided toys and playground.Visited July 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten August 26, 2023
- jwestMarlborough, Massachusetts127 contributionsFavorite Attraction in IcelandOne of our first stops in Reykjavik and the one we enjoyed the most in all of Iceland. Used the Reykjavik card (good deal) and got there around the time it opened and were able to join a tour. Our guide was great. Learned much about Iceland's history (it's very rich and intricate).Visited September 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten September 8, 2023
- Ian KLinlithgow, United Kingdom202 contributionsBeautiful museum recreates how people in Reykjavik used to liveThis is my second favourite museum in the Reykjavik area after Perlan. Essentially the Reykjavik City Museum has created a village out of old houses from Reykjavik over a period of a few hundred years, moved out here. Nearly every building is accessible and they are laid out in their historical condition. In addition to some lovely houses with their time period furnishings and personal effects there is an old garage and a building devoted to the work of legendary Icelandic weaver Karólína Guðmundsdóttir, one of only two steam locomotives used in Iceland and one of the buildings is given over to a history of consumer consumption in Iceland. I spent a few pleasant hours here. There are several wc facilities but unfortunately the cafe was shut during my visit. The museum opens at 1300. If you don't have your own transport or if you don't want to pay the taxi fare I would suggest that you take buses 12 and 16. (Get off the 12 bus at the stop called Vogar then catch the 16- after 4 stops get off a the stop called Laxakvisl and walk east for about 5 minutes. On the way back you can get a bus back into town from the bus stop not far out in front of the museum. Entrance to this open air museum is free with the Reykjavik City Card,Visited October 2023Traveled soloWritten October 6, 2023
- Ričards EdijsLatvia105 contributionsAn Excellent museum to understand how Icelanders livedDespite not having high expectations, the museum truly surprised me since many of the buildings were open and not only the facades but also the interior and everyday objects could be seen. Some of them I saw for the first time in my life! A very insightful and educative place to visit, in addition, some of the bigger buildings also have exhibitions about how everyday life changed for Icelanders throughout time.Visited October 2023Traveled with friendsWritten October 19, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
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
704 reviews
Excellent
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Enid C
44 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
We had a wonderful time here. The guides were very friendly and helpful. The whole place was incredibly atmospheric! It is an open air museum based around an old farm that was abandoned by the 1950s. The original farmhouse and associated buildings have been preserved alongside urban buildings that have been relocated from Reykjavik. The church with the turf roof was a highlight. As we were there in February it felt like we had the place to ourselves! I would recommend anyone to go there.
Written February 16, 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.
soccermomFlorida
Florida70 contributions
Aug 2021
We really enjoyed this place. It is a large complex with many buildings and gives you a sense of what life was like in rural Iceland, especially from the 19th through the mid 20th century. It is a different type of museum where you walk in and out of different buildings with exhibits in them, and therefore a welcome change from the usual type of museum. Plan on 1-3 hours depending on how much and thoroughly you wish to go through things. Also they have free tours in English at 1 pm on weekedays, at least.
Written August 13, 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.
Brian D
Denver, CO2,393 contributions
May 2021
Great museum to visit in Reykjavik. It looks like it would be out in the middle of nowhere, but it is actually right in the heart of the city, located just off a couple of very busy highways. The farm land has been maintained here as there is still one original structure that has been on this site for over a century. Most of the other homes and buildings have been moved here to preserve their historic value. The homes have been decorated in time appropriate motif. You get a great idea of what it would have been like to live here many, many years ago. Inside you'll find different exhibits - one house has a whole range of items from every decade - items that you may have found in these homes at those times. Another house features a photography museum. The farm features chicken and other livestock. There are some turf buildings and homes to explore as well. Really an enjoyable place to visit and it features a lot more than you first expect.
Written June 21, 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.
Maggie M
Mulwala, Australia179 contributions
Jul 2023 • Couples
We enjoyed a couple of interesting hours at Arbaer, on a mild summer's day in Reykjavik. All the old reconstructed buildings have been moved to the site over about 50 years and provide a good overview of how the Icelanders lived in the past. Most of the buildings are set up as a snapshot in time, as if the family had just stepped out. This time period varies for the buildings, and there are good explanation boards. We loved the turf roofed farmhouse especially. It had a roofed tunnel into the barn area for the animals, necessary in the winter, I'm sure.
Staff wearing old fashioned clothes wander around and can answer many questions. The cafe is set in one of the old buildings and had delicious cakes for sale. There is a small shop at the entrance to the site, as well as a lolly shop selling among other things yummy licorice.
The site would be fun for families, there were a number of children while we were there and they appeared to be having fun with the provided toys and playground.
Staff wearing old fashioned clothes wander around and can answer many questions. The cafe is set in one of the old buildings and had delicious cakes for sale. There is a small shop at the entrance to the site, as well as a lolly shop selling among other things yummy licorice.
The site would be fun for families, there were a number of children while we were there and they appeared to be having fun with the provided toys and playground.
Written August 26, 2023
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.
Ian K
Linlithgow, UK202 contributions
Oct 2023 • Solo
This is my second favourite museum in the Reykjavik area after Perlan. Essentially the Reykjavik City Museum has created a village out of old houses from Reykjavik over a period of a few hundred years, moved out here. Nearly every building is accessible and they are laid out in their historical condition. In addition to some lovely houses with their time period furnishings and personal effects there is an old garage and a building devoted to the work of legendary Icelandic weaver Karólína Guðmundsdóttir, one of only two steam locomotives used in Iceland and one of the buildings is given over to a history of consumer consumption in Iceland. I spent a few pleasant hours here. There are several wc facilities but unfortunately the cafe was shut during my visit. The museum opens at 1300. If you don't have your own transport or if you don't want to pay the taxi fare I would suggest that you take buses 12 and 16. (Get off the 12 bus at the stop called Vogar then catch the 16- after 4 stops get off a the stop called Laxakvisl and walk east for about 5 minutes. On the way back you can get a bus back into town from the bus stop not far out in front of the museum. Entrance to this open air museum is free with the Reykjavik City Card,
Written October 6, 2023
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.
Juliet H
Reading, UK408 contributions
Jul 2023 • Couples
This was a great find and worth making the effort to go out of the city on a local bus (which was included in our Reykjavik pass). The old Icelandic buildings were displayed in an interesting and informative way. I would definitely recommend.
Written July 9, 2023
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.
Ričards Edijs
Latvia105 contributions
Oct 2023 • Friends
Despite not having high expectations, the museum truly surprised me since many of the buildings were open and not only the facades but also the interior and everyday objects could be seen. Some of them I saw for the first time in my life! A very insightful and educative place to visit, in addition, some of the bigger buildings also have exhibitions about how everyday life changed for Icelanders throughout time.
Written October 19, 2023
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.
j0hnjamesdavids0n
London, UK11 contributions
Apr 2022
It's not the easiest place to reach on public transit, but easy with a car. It's not somewhere to spend a huge amount of time. However, Iceland went through a massive transformation in the mid 20th century. This place shows life as it was less than 100 years ago, albeit unrecognisable against today's Iceland. I really enjoyed it.
Written May 8, 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.
catfish_hurdles
Stroud, UK162 contributions
Oct 2021
We spent 4 or 5 hours here! We were treated to a one-to-one guided tour by a very knowledgeable and helpful member of staff in national dress. Throughly enjoyed learning about how people lived in Iceland and how Reykjavík grew to be city it is now. Fascinating stuff.
Written November 18, 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.
John L
Rushden, UK5 contributions
Nov 2022 • Family
We had an excellent guided tour here on Thursday with Steppi (hopefully that’s the correct spelling!). He was funny, engaging and incredibly knowledgeable about Icelandic history. He gave us a genuinely fascinating insight into how rapidly Iceland has changed in recent years, which we wouldn’t otherwise have realised. We also really appreciated that he was willing to go ‘off-script’ and share some of his personal experiences with us. Definitely an unexpected highlight of our trip to Iceland and well worth doing the guided tour to get the most out of this brilliant museum. Takk!
Written November 26, 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.
Touring new zealand
London, UK32 contributions
Transport....is the bus charge still within Reykjavik ? Or more expensive
NH Mom
101 contributions
You can take the bus from the center of town-price is the basic fare. It's a short walk from the bus stop. We were a bit confused on where to go once the bus stopped, but there was a passenger who told the bus driver where we needed to go, and she relayed the info on to us. Everyone is very helpful in Iceland, so don't hesitate to ask. I even wrote the name of the stop I needed on a paper, showed it to the driver and she made sure we got off at the right place. When we were ready to leave, it was the same bus to pick us up so she asked how we enjoyed the visit. Love the people of Iceland!
Sara A
Kingston upon Thames, UK1 contribution
Do i have to book in advance?
Gudrun Helga S
Reykjavik, Iceland1 contribution
No that is not necessary. Just be there no later than 13:00 (1 pm).
Looking forward to seeing you.
Best regards, Gudrun Helga
Mar T
Oldenburg, Germany23 contributions
How much is the entrance fee?
Gudrun Helga S
Reykjavik, Iceland1 contribution
1,650 Kronas/ISK in 2018 for adults. Free admission for children, elderly and disabled.
sderoos
Fairmont13 contributions
Are there interpretive signs or a pamphlet/museum guide for English speakers (in case we can't join the afternoon guided tour)?
TracyB
Houston, TX228 contributions
Yes, you can do the entire thing yourself, we took a bus there and walked around with the kids. Had a great time and even eavesdropped a bit on some of the other tours that were there. No one seemed to mind!
Kate
Warwickshire, England22 contributions
How do I get to this from central Reykjavik? Is there public transport available? Or is it walkable?
Gudrun Helga S
Reykjavik, Iceland1 contribution
Bus nr. 16 In direction to Árbær/Hraunsás
Departing 12:22 From Hlemmur
Arriving 12:45 To Strengur / Laxakvísl
Route 16
Duration 23 min
Walk From Strengur / Laxakvísl to Árbæjarsafn
Departing 12:45
Arriving 12:49 To Árbæjarsafn
Duration 5 min
or
Take bus nr. 5 In direction to Norðlingaholt
Departing 12:15 From Hlemmur
Arriving 12:34 To Rofabær / Hraunbær
Duration 19 min
Walk From Rofabær / Hraunbær to Árbæjarsafn
Departing 12:34 From Rofabær / Hraunbær
Arriving 12:40 at Árbæjarsafn
Duration 6 min
for more information check bus.is
NinaSuzette
Manila, Philippines17 contributions
Does anyone know how long the guided tour takes? Thanks.
Gudrun Helga S
Reykjavik, Iceland1 contribution
Hi Nina, the guided tour is in English and it takes just over an hour.
Best regards,
Gudrun Helga Stefansdottir, marketing manager
katnewyork
13 contributions
we would like to visit your museum and go on the tour on February 20th. do we need to make a reservation for the tour? there will be four adults and one child......thank you!!! also what bus do you take from the center of the city and what stop do you get off at......thank you!!!
MrTerry
East Kilbride, UK80 contributions
We just visited two weeks ago almost. We got the 72 hour Reykjavik card that allowed us free on buses locally and into a good number of museums and galleries plus a ferry trip over to Videy island for a walk about hour. I YouTubed the Arbær outdoor museum trip we did including the bus stop wher we started off by the town hall. My channel is Terry McGeary and it is a recent upload so easy to find it (with my Aurora one!). Greyline coaches provided a good service for our tour from Reykjavik to find the Northern Lights but local bus will take you to Arbær museum near Artun.
Diana M
Fort Collins, CO263 contributions
Hi - We will be in Iceland in March. We may need a few smaller activities to fill a day when we aren't doing long days outside the city. Would you provide directions and suggestions to this museum? Thanks in advance!
g0lfgirl16
Winnipeg, Canada272 contributions
I also took the bus there. It took about 40 minutes or so from city centre but would only take about 15 by car without all the stops. City maps are provided at hotels, etc. which will have the museum on it. A tour isn’t necessary since there are signs explaining what you’re looking at. Tours were only offered at 1:00 when I was there last week (October). I walked around and explored the area myself. There is also a nice park area with a small zoo, an athletic centre, geothermal pools and one of their famous hotdog stands all in that end of town.
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Claim your listingArbaer Open Air Museum - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)
Frequently Asked Questions about Arbaer Open Air Museum
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