About

Volcano House is a small geology-focused cinema located in central Reykjavík at Tryggvagata 11, near the Old Harbour. The venue shows two documentary films about Icelandic volcanic eruptions on a continuous loop. **Film 1: The Westman Islands Eruption (1973)** - Documents the eruption of Eldfell volcano on Heimaey island - Lava flows nearly destroyed the town of 5,000 people - Residents evacuated in fishing boats - Efforts to cool lava with seawater saved the harbor - 25-minute runtime **Film 2: The Eyjafjallajökull Eruption (2010)** - Iceland's most famous modern eruption - Ash cloud disrupted European air travel for weeks - Spectacular footage of lava and lightning - Global impact of Icelandic volcanism - 20-minute runtime The films are shown back-to-back on a large screen with excellent sound. Both include archival footage, interviews with witnesses, and scientific explanation. The cinema is small and intimate. Volcano House also has: - Geological exhibits (rocks, minerals, tephra samples) - Information on Icelandic volcanoes - Small gift shop The cinema runs continuously throughout the day. Visitors can drop in at any time and watch one or both films. It's a good rainy-day activity or introduction to Icelandic geology. Entry: ~3,500 ISK for adults.

📖 Story

Iceland's volcanic eruptions are spectacular and deadly. The Volcano House shows raw documentary footage from two of the most dramatic: the 1973 Heimaey eruption that nearly buried an entire town under lava, and the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruption whose ash cloud grounded flights across Europe for weeks. The films run on a loop — you watch real lava flows consuming houses, residents fleeing in boats, and ash plumes rising into the stratosphere. It's Iceland's volcanic power made visceral.

Key Facts