Viking World

The centre is built around Islendingur, a full-size replica of the Gokstad ship built in the 1990s by Gunnar Marel Eggertsson, who then sailed it from Iceland to New York in 2000 for the thousandth anniversary of the Norse voyages to North America. The hall is glass on one side so the ship is visible from the road. Around it are exhibitions on the settlement and the Norse in the North Atlantic, including material loaned from the Smithsonian, and outside stands a reconstructed longhouse. Being five minutes from the airport, it works as a first or last stop on a trip when the flight time leaves an awkward gap.

Highlights

• Islendingur, a full-size replica - sailed to New York in 2000.
• A glass hall around the ship - visible from outside.
• Norse North Atlantic exhibitions - including borrowed Smithsonian material.
• A reconstructed longhouse - outdoors beside the building.

When to go

Year round; convenient around flight times. Two hours.

Practical notes

The ship is the exhibit and the rest is supporting material, so an hour or so is realistic. The building is on an industrial edge of town with little around it. Hours vary by season. Entry is charged.

Nearby

Keflavik airport is minutes away; the Bridge Between Continents is south.

Key facts