Perlan — Wonders of Iceland Museum

Background

History & Background

The six circular tanks beneath Perlan store millions of liters of hot geothermal water for Reykjavík's heating and hot water supply. The striking glass dome was added in 1991 by architect Ingimundur Sveinsson, transforming the functional water tanks into a city landmark. Perlan reopened in 2017 as 'Wonders of Iceland' — an interactive natural history museum featuring an indoor ice cave, Northern Lights show, and planetarium.

Perlan, affectionately known as 'The Pearl,' is Reykjavík's largest natural history museum and a prominent landmark, instantly recognizable by its striking glass dome perched atop six massive geothermal hot water tanks. These tanks, each holding 4 million litres, are vital for supplying Reykjavík with heating. The image showcases this distinctive architecture, with the dome reflecting the vast sky and the snow-covered landscape surrounding it. Opened as the Wonders of Iceland museum in 2017 after a major renovation, Perlan offers an unparalleled journey into Iceland's unique natural environment. Its centerpiece is the extraordinary 100-meter indoor ice cave, maintained at a constant -10°C (14°F), where visitors can walk through authentic glacier ice formations, including crevasses and ice walls, crafted from 350 tonnes of real compacted snow. Beyond the ice cave, exhibitions delve into Iceland's powerful "Forces of Nature," featuring a captivating earthquake simulator, and showcase the country's diverse "Glaciers & Ice," "Volcanoes," "Arctic Wildlife," and "Bird Cliffs." A dedicated exhibit illuminates the magic of the "Northern Lights." The 4th-floor observation deck, visible in the image offering sweeping views, provides a spectacular 360° panoramic vista of Reykjavík, the surrounding snowy hills, the distant Esja mountain, and the vast ocean. It's considered the second-best view in Reykjavík after Hallgrímskirkja, with the added benefit of an outdoor terrace, perfect for capturing stunning photographs of the city and its dramatic winter landscape.