Two sites located at different points of the city engross you in two bygone versions of Reykjavík, one of the first millennium and the other of the 1800s.
The Reykjavík City Museum is not a typical historical museum. The museum is separated between two Reykjavík locations, each of which provides an immersive experience of how life in this part of Iceland has been throughout the ages. One of the sites, the 871±2 Settlement Exhibition, is located in the heart of downtown Reykjavík. This is a wide exhibition space based around the ruins of a Viking longhouse from the ninth century. The other half of the Reykjavík City Museum, Arbaejarsafn (Open Air Folk Museum), is on the outskirts of town. Walk amongst a village of preserved heritage buildings from the last few centuries of the city’s history.
The name of the 871±2 Settlement Exhibition comes from the range of years during which the Viking longhouse at its centre probably originated. Between 869 and 873 A.D., the foundations of this structure were constructed it was not until 2001 that archaeologists uncovered the ruins. Walk around the longhouse remains and try to imagine the structure as it once was.
Play with the interactive and informative exhibits placed around the longhouse, which teach about the society that built the structure and the archaeology behind its discovery. Examine the 360-degree panorama of how the Reykjavík landscape looked when the longhouse stood here. See depictions of the various people who may have lived in the longhouse. Open daily, the 871±2 Settlement Exhibition is located in the city centre.
Visit the Arbaejarsafn to see more intact structures from more recent periods in Reykjavík history. Tour the village, which features over 20 preserved heritage structures. A boathouse, a church and a stable can be found alongside homes from the 1800s. Explore the interior of any of the structures. Marvel at the many turf houses, which are eco-friendly homes covered in grass. A working farm is located on the Arbaejarsafn grounds as well. Kids will love playing with the horses and sheep wandering around the pastures. Located 5 kilometres (3 miles) to the southeast of the city centre, Arbaejarsafn can be reached by bus.
