About

Whales of Iceland is located in Reykjavík's Old Harbour (Grandi) district in a 1,500 m² exhibition hall. The museum features life-sized models of all 23 whale species found in Icelandic waters, making it Europe's largest whale exhibition. The models are scientifically accurate and constructed to actual scale: - **Blue whale**: 25 metres (largest animal ever) - **Fin whale**: 22 metres - **Humpback whale**: 15 metres - **Orca (killer whale)**: 8 metres - **Minke whale**, **pilot whale**, **sperm whale** and 16 other species Interactive features: - Audio recordings of whale songs and calls - Touch screens with species information, migration patterns, and behavior - Documentary footage of whales in Icelandic waters - Virtual reality whale encounters - Underwater soundscape The exhibition is designed to convey the size, grace and diversity of whales. Visitors walk beneath suspended models, creating immersive perspective on whale scale. The museum also addresses whale conservation, Icelandic whaling history, and current whale watching tourism. Many whale watching tours depart from the adjacent harbor. Visits typically take 45–75 minutes. The museum is family-friendly and educational.

📖 Story

Walking into Whales of Iceland is overwhelming — massive models of whales suspended from the ceiling, so large and close you feel like you're underwater with them. A blue whale stretches 25 metres overhead. Orcas hang in frozen hunting formation. Humpbacks seem ready to breach. Touch screens provide whale calls, biology, and stories. It's intimate with creatures usually seen as distant spouts on the ocean. Many visitors combine this with whale watching tours, seeing the real animals afterward.

Key Facts