Perlan

About the museum

Perlan stands on Öskjuhlíð, one of the highest hills in Reykjavík. The first hot water tank was built there in 1939, 61 metres above sea level, because the location ensured good water pressure. Five more tanks were added over the next two decades. They were demolished and rebuilt in the late 1980s, and a glass dome designed by the architect Ingimundur Sveinsson was built on top of them. The building opened on 21 June 1991. As early as 1930, the painter Jóhannes Kjarval had already proposed the idea of constructing a building on Öskjuhlíð.

Perlan now houses an interactive natural history museum called Wonders of Iceland. It includes a 100-metre-long ice tunnel made of snow, an exhibition on glaciers and climate change, a replica of the Látrabjarg cliffs and an exhibition on water in Icelandic nature, which is run by the Icelandic Natural History Museum. It also covers natural forces, the sea, Lake Mývatn and the geological history of the country. There is a volcano exhibition on the eruption in Geldingadalir and an aurora exhibition in the planetarium called Áróra.

On the roof of the dome is a viewing platform with a 360-degree view over the city and the surrounding mountains. The building also houses a shop, a café, a restaurant, a bar and an ice cream parlour.

Highlights

• A 100-metre-long ice cave made of snow
• Interactive exhibition on glaciers and climate change
• Áróra: aurora exhibition in the planetarium
• Volcano exhibition on the eruption in Geldingadalir
• Viewing platform with a 360-degree view over Reykjavík

Permanent exhibitions

• Íshellir og jöklasýning – A 100-metre-long ice cave made of snow and an interactive exhibition on Icelandic glaciers, their future and climate change.
• Vatnið í íslenskri náttúru – An exhibition on fresh water, life in water and the influence of water on shaping the land. The Icelandic Natural History Museum is responsible for it.
• Náttúruöfl – An exhibition on volcanoes, earthquakes and geothermal energy.

Admission & discounts

The price is the online price for adults (13 years and older) in October 2026. The viewing platform is included in the admission ticket and cannot be bought on its own. Annual passes and gift cards are available at the museum.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The museum is described as accessible to everyone. Two lifts serve all floors, and the restaurant, the ice cave and the planetarium are accessible by wheelchair. Disabled parking spaces are near the entrance.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Hands-on stations

The exhibitions are interactive and designed for all age groups. Children aged four and under enter free.

Getting there & parking

Perlan stands on the Öskjuhlíð hill near the city centre. Walking from the city centre takes about 30 minutes, and a taxi about 5 minutes.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Restaurant
• Museum shop

The café and bar are on the fifth floor, the restaurant is under the glass dome, and the ice cream parlour with homemade ice cream is on the fourth floor. The Perlubúðin shop sells Icelandic products, postcards and books on sustainability.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit