Menningarmiðstoð Kópavogs contains Kópavogur’s Natural History Museum, where displays include an orca skeleton, stuffed animals and some of Mývatn lake’s odd marimo balls (round, cannon-ball sized clusters of algae). You’ll also find Iceland’s first specially designed concert hall, Salurinn, which has been built entirely from Icelandic materials such as driftwood and spruce.
Menningarmiðstoð Kópavogs
Greater Reykjavík
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
27.47 MILES
The world’s oldest parliament, Althingi (pronounced ál-thingk-ee; also called Alþing) was uniquely situated at this monumental site where two tectonic…
25.88 MILES
Near the dramatic Almannagjá fault and fronted by a boardwalk is the Lögberg (Law Rock), where the Alþingi (Parliament) convened annually. This was where…
26.56 MILES
The Þingvellir plain is situated on a tectonic-plate boundary where North America and Europe are tearing away from each other at a rate of 1mm to 18mm per…
2.16 MILES
Reykjavík’s immense white-concrete church (1945–86), star of a thousand postcards, dominates the skyline and is visible from up to 20km away. An elevator…
2.41 MILES
Artefacts from settlement to the modern age fill the creative display spaces of Iceland's superb National Museum. Exhibits give an excellent overview of…
29.37 MILES
Housed in an imaginatively restored warehouse by the harbour, the must-see Settlement Centre offers fascinating insights into the history of Icelandic…
2.67 MILES
This fascinating archaeological ruin-museum is based around a 10th-century Viking longhouse unearthed here from 2001 to 2002 and other Settlement-Era…
2.76 MILES
With its ever-changing facets glistening on the water's edge, Reykjavík’s sparkling Harpa concert hall and cultural centre is a beauty to behold. In…
Nearby Greater Reykjavík attractions
1. Natural History Museum of Kópavogur
0.01 MILES
Iceland’s unique geology and wildlife are showcased here. Highlights include an orca skeleton, a good collection of taxidermied animals and Mývatn lake’s…
0.01 MILES
Iceland’s first specially designed concert hall is built entirely from local materials (driftwood, spruce and crushed stone) and has fantastic acoustics…
0.04 MILES
In this beautifully designed museum you'll find excellent rotating modern-art exhibitions and a notable permanent collection of 20th-century Icelandic…
0.98 MILES
Reykjavík University has a scenic campus near the beach and the domestic airport.
1.24 MILES
Perlan's mirrored dome, designed by Ingimundur Sveinsson, covers huge geothermal-water tanks some 2km from the city centre. Inside, the Wonders of Iceland…
6. Wonders of Iceland: Glaciers & Ice Cave
1.25 MILES
This permanent exhibition at Perlan begins with a vast ice cave, 100m long and built with 350 tons of snow and layers of ash from the 2010…
7. Museum of Design & Applied Art
1.61 MILES
All elements of Icelandic design ranging from unique furniture to knitwear, shoes and album art are celebrated at this small museum. There's also a Kraum…
1.75 MILES
Miklatún Park is home to the angular glass-and-wood Kjarvalsstaðir museum, named after Jóhannes Kjarval (1885–1972), one of Iceland’s most popular…