Cultural Centres

The Icelandic Museum of Rock ‘n’ Roll is an exhibition dedicated to the history of pop and rock music in Iceland. The museum is located at Hljómahöll in Keflavik, only a 5-minute drive away from Keflavik International airport. The exhibition features a timeline tracing the history of Icelandic music from 1920 to the present day. Among the many items on display are Gunnar Jökull Hákonarson’s drum kit, which was used on Trúbrot’s acclaimed album Lifun; a dress worn by Emilíana Torrini in the music video for Jungle Drum; a wooden sculpture of the reggae band Hjálmar; marching band jackets worn by Stuðmenn in the film Með allt á hreinu; a dress belonging to Elly Vilhjálms; a statue of Rúnar Júlíusson; a grand piano formerly owned by Raggi Bjarna; and many more fascinating pieces from Icelandic music history.

The municipal museum in Garðskagi is located in a natural paradise, which blends the beauty of the landscape with its rich animal and birdlife. The museum was first opened in November 1995 in the old processing houses in Garður. The museum has both a Folk and Maritime Museum. It has an outstanding engine collection of Guðni Ingimundarson. There are over 60 engines on display and almost every one of them is functional. Many important items from the municipal history of Garður are located in the museum, items which were essential for the livelihood on both land and sea The Museum is a great point of interest for visitors as it tells the story of how fishing developed and the history of the people who lived and worked in the community. A restaurant and camping site with facilities is on-site and if you are lucky you might see dolphins and whales near the shore from the terrace of the restaurant. Summer opening is 10-17 From the 1st May - 30. Sept. From October the Museum can be booked for groups.

Vikingaheimar is the home of the Viking Ship Íslendingur (the Icelander). Built in 1996, Icelander is an exact replica of the famous Gokstadship, a remarkable archaeological find of an almost completely intact Viking ship, excavated in Norway in 1882. Captain Gunnar Marel Eggertsson was inspired to build a replica of this beautiful ship based on his own background as shipbuilder and sailor. He copied the original nail for nail. In the year 2000, with a grant from the Leifur Eiríksson Commission of Iceland, he sailed from Iceland to New York, a journey of 4200 nautical miles. His voyage brought world-wide attention to Leif Eiriksson's and Bjarni Herjólfsson's discovery of America, dated, according to the Icelandic sagas, to exactly 1000 A.D. Building Icelander was an extraordinary achievement;at 23 metres long, 5.25 meters wide and with a holding capacity of 80 tons (by modern standards), it took 2 years of effort.The sail is 130 square meters and the mast is 18 meters in length. Made from pine and oak, scholars believe this was the most common type of ship in use during the Viking Age. Vikingaheimar is also a home to the exhibition The North Atlantic Viking Saga, originally shown at the Smithsonian Institution during the summer of 2000. Launched in Washington D.C. by King Hakon of Norway, and with a State Dinner at the White House, it then traveling to 6 other cities throughout North America. This exhibition, like the sailing of Icelander, celebrated the millennium anniversary of the Viking discovery of North America, shedding light on the latest scholarly research into the Norse settlement and explorations of unknown lands.Gunnar Marel and his crew of 8 left Iceland on Icelandic Independence day, the 17th of June, with a send off from the Prime Minister of Iceland. When it finally arrived in New York on October 5th-where it was greeted by First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton and Mayor Rudolf Guiliani--the ship had made stops at 22 harbors. In addition to the festivities with kings, queens, presidents and mayors, when the ship arrived, visitors also streamed to see it while it was docked at each location, all told about 450,000 people came on board. These two fine projects, both celebrating Iceland's central role in the discovery of North America 1000 years ago by the Norse Vikings, have now found a permanent home in Vikinga Aldan (Viking Wave), the central building on the Vikingaheimar grounds. A spectacular modern building, it also offers beautiful views of the surrounding bay, Faxaflói. These two fine projects, both celebrating Iceland's central role in the discovery of North America 1000 years ago by the Norse Vikings, have now found a permanent home in Vikinga Aldan (Viking Wave), the central building on the Vikingaheimar grounds. A spectacular modern building, it also offers beautiful views of the surrounding bay, Faxaflói.

Hljómahöll is a music-, cultural- and conference center in Reykjanesbær. Hljómahöll offers excellent facilities for events of all kinds. The halls can be rented for annual celebrations, weddings, concerts, and more. Our venues are Stapi and Berg. Hljómahöll also provides banquet services that emphasize professional and personalised service. The historic community hall Stapi is the largest venue in Hljómahöll and offers a wide range of possibilities for events. The hall can accommodate up to 800 guests for concerts, including 700 standing on the main floor and 100 seated in the balcony. For dance events, the capacity increases to 897 guests by extending the hall and opening into the Merkines hall. Stapi also offers 445 seats in a theatre setup, with just over 100 of these located in the balcony. For seated dining, the hall can accommodate up to 450 guests, with the space extended into the Merkines hall to increase capacity. Stapi is therefore ideal for large gatherings, whether meetings, conferences, concerts, corporate events, or celebrations, offering flexible options and excellent facilities for guests. The hall Berg is named after Hólmsberg in Keflavík, commonly referred to simply as “Bergið.” Berg is ideal for concerts, meetings, and conferences. The hall is equipped with a high-quality and powerful sound system, a projector, and a screen. It offers 127 seats arranged on benches in seven tiered rows. The chairs, called Magni, are exceptionally comfortable and were designed by the architect Valdimar Harðarson. Please send any enquiries regarding our venues and venue hire to info@hljomaholl.is.