Whales of Iceland

Whales of Iceland is a hall at Grandi hung with more than twenty full-size models of the whale and dolphin species found in Icelandic waters, from harbour porpoise up to a blue whale that runs the length of the building. Because they are at true scale rather than in a case, the exhibition does the one thing photographs and boat trips cannot: it gives the size directly. Audio guides and sound recordings run alongside, and the lighting is kept low with the models lit from below. It works particularly well for people who went on a whale watching trip and saw a fin at distance, or who were rained off entirely.

History

The museum was founded by the Icelandic entrepreneur Hörður Bender and opened in February 2015 after two years of preparation, at a reported cost of 100 million ISK. Its models, from 25 kilogrammes to two tonnes, were made in China, shipped to Iceland in pieces and assembled and hand-painted here (Wikipedia, Whales of Iceland).

What you'll find

• Models at true scale - over twenty species, up to a blue whale.
• Size you can walk beside - the point the exhibition exists to make.
• Recorded whale sound - played through the hall.
• A wet weather alternative - to a boat trip that did not deliver.

When to go

Year round; useful when boat trips are cancelled. One to two hours.

Good to know

These are models, not specimens, and visitors expecting a natural history collection may find it thin on objects. Entry is not cheap. The hall is dim, which suits the display and frustrates photographers. It is a walk from the centre.

Nearby

The Maritime Museum and Saga Museum are on the same quay; the old harbour is next door.

Key facts