Experience the Icelandic sagas

From the time of the earliest settlers, history is brought to life in a unique and exciting way.
The Saga Museum intimately recreates key moments in Icelandic history, moments that have determined the fate of our people and which give a compelling view into how Icelanders have lived for more than a millenium.

A journey into a turbulent past

Throughout the period of settlement, everyday life in Iceland must have been very difficult due to hard circumstances. Eruptions, earthquakes, avalanches and other natural catastrophes were some of the things Icelanders had to endure. They were also subject to the notorious Black Death that led to the destruction of more than a third of the population. However, none of this deterred those who lived here and they leave behind them a remarkable culture and literature that equals that of any other county in Europe.

Guide to history

Visitors have the choice to be guided through the museum with an audio device and can choose between Icelandic, English, French, German, Russian, Spanish and Swedish. We also have text guides in Italian and Polish. The guide can also be bought in the form of a booklet at the front desk.

Ernst Backman

Visionary Icelandic designer, Ernst Backman, is the proud owner of the Saga Museum and shop. He created the concept in 1999 and the museum officially opened in 2002. Since then, he and his family have offered a unique perspective on the history of Iceland, through the beautifully crafted statues of the museum and various souvenir items.

His wide range of Viking age inspired utilities and decorations are available in the store.

Ernst Backman Design

Find us on
Grandagarður 2, 101 Reykjavík

 

  • Marc (March 2026)

    ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
    This Viking museum may be small but it is really interesting, the display people are all human sized and soooo life like, some even breathe! The free audio guide was also very informative and thus very useful. The staff were very helpful and friendly, there is also a very good gift shop. But the best part was being able to play Vikings! Real chainmail, real helmets, real swords and axes, authentic clothing! The only thing we chose not to do was to go pillaging as the outside world was in blizzard conditions!

  • Graciela (December 2025)

    ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
    So much history to learn here, if you're visiting Iceland and are interested in learning so of its history, this is the place to visit. it's a self guided tour. At the end you get to dress up and take photos. its super fun.

  • E M (November 2025)

    ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
    A very friendly welcome. The museum is relatively small - about a 30 minutes visit was enough to do it justice. The signage accompanying the exhibits was informative but the audio recordings gave lengthier and more interesting explanations. The mannequins were earily realistic! The venue has an excellent gift shop and the staff were welcoming and friendly.

  • Book Lover (August 2025)

    ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
    Personalized service and experience
    I puchased a necklace in the (excellent) giftshop but it was not as "advertised", so when I let them know after I returned home (to the US), they graciously sent me the correct item! What a good place! We loved the museum and very fun dress up area.