Aurora Reykjavík, The Northern Lights Center Museum Visit
Description
Aurora Reykjavík, The Northern Lights Center is the first and only museum entirely dedicated to the Aurora Borealis in Iceland. Conveniently located in the Grandi Harbour District, the Center is a must-see when in Iceland. Whether you are planning your Aurora hunt or simply want to learn about the phenomenon, we have you covered! Dive into the world of the northern lights in a unique multimedia environment. Discover our interactive displays and our extensive collection of Aurora photography and videos - all captured by our award winning photographers and founders. The visit includes: • Northern Lights mythology around the Arctic • Aurora Science, from what causes the northern lights to the way our eyes see them • Our exclusive timelapse Aurora movie and world's first northern lights VR experience • Practical tips: maximise your chances of seeing the Aurora and learn how to take perfect northern lights photos • Meet the experts, our team is happy to share their knowledge!
Tour Options
Itinerary
Dive into the world of the northern lights at Aurora Reykjavík, Iceland's first center and museum entirely dedicated to the Aurora Borealis. Catch a glimpse of the cultures of the Arctic as you learn about northern lights myths and folklore from around the world. Explore the science of the phenomenon, from the origin of the northern lights to the way the human eye perceives them. In our movie theater, relax and enjoy our 4K timelapse movie, featuring 30 mins of Aurora displays seen over Iceland. Aurora Reykjavík is the home of the world's first 360°northern lights virtual reality experience. Watch the lights dance right above you, while you immerse yourself in the Icelandic wilderness. An experience so realistic, you'll believe you are really there! Finally, get ready for your Aurora hunt. Find out how to read the forecast and enhance your chances of success, then adjust your camera settings and learn how to take the perfect Aurora picture at our northern lights photo simulator.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(344)
What a great experience. We came in July when the chances of actually experiencing Northern lights was very slim. This was a great alternative. Loved the 360 googles & the photo taken that you email to Yourself. 👏👏 Staff super friendly. Gift shop , restrooms available Provided free snack & coffee
Very informative about the cultural and scientific aspects of the auroras. Since our trip was in summer. It was the closest we would get this trip.
Thank you for your lovely review! We're happy we could give you a chance to experience the magic of the northern lights, even during the summer months. It's great to hear you enjoyed learning about both the cultural stories and the science behind this incredible natural phenomenon. We hope you'll have the opportunity to join us for the real aurora tour on a future visit to Iceland!
A great experience to learn mythology as well as science behind the auroras while also seeing some amazing interactive imaging
Thank you for your kind review! We're delighted you enjoyed exploring both the legends and the science behind the northern lights. It's wonderful to hear the interactive displays made the experience even more memorable!
Lots of information on the phenomenon, science and myths Wonderful video of the aurora taken in various locations around Iceland Finally a short VR experience
Thanks for visiting! We're so glad you enjoyed learning about the northern lights from different perspectives and that the footage from around Iceland stood out to you. It's also great to hear you had fun with the VR experience. We appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts and hope to welcome you back again!
So relaxing and not having to brave the cold weather
Hello Dave, Thanks for your review! Indeed, Aurora Reykjavík offers a year-round, comfortable indoor northern lights immersive experience. Our northern lights are always on display, rain on shine, no matter the season. With our informative displays, the largest Aurora Borealis photo and video gallery in the country, cinema and VR experience, we have something for everybody who shares with us a fascination for the northern lights. Thank you again for sharing, we hope to welcome you again to Iceland in the future!
Loved this experience. Lots of great images, interactive displays and explanations of how and why the aurora appears. Particularly liked the longer aurora lights film and the separate VR headset experience. Really recommend this if you’re interested in learning more about the science, mythology and history of discovery around the aurora.
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback! We're so pleased that your visit was both enjoyable and informative. Creating an engaging experience that helps visitors connect with one of Iceland’s most remarkable natural phenomena is at the heart of what we do, and we're grateful for your recommendation. We hope to welcome you back again someday, maybe on a Northern Lights Tour during the winter season!
Aurora Reykjavík was unfortunately rather disappointing. The visit lasted less than an hour and did not seem particularly well organized overall, especially in the VR area, where there were too few glasses and one was constantly disturbed by other guests. Another big problem was that about 70% of the QR codes for the audio guide did not work. The films were also quite long-winded, while the VR experience itself was far too short. For the price I would have expected significantly more.
Vielen Dank für Ihr Feedback und dafür, dass Sie sich die Zeit genommen haben, Ihre Eindrücke zu teilen. Es tut uns leid zu hören, dass Ihr Besuch nicht Ihren Erwartungen entsprochen hat. Bezüglich des Audioguides möchten wir gerne anmerken, dass unsere Kollegin an der Rezeption sofort versucht hat, das Problem zu beheben, sobald Sie sie darauf aufmerksam gemacht haben. Leider können technische Schwierigkeiten mit einzelnen Geräten oder QR-Codes gelegentlich auftreten, auch wenn wir selbstverständlich kontinuierlich daran arbeiten, dies zu vermeiden. Außerdem möchten wir darauf hinweisen, dass der Audioguide nur eine zusätzliche Option ist: Alle wichtigen Informationen aus dem Audioguide finden sich auch ausführlich auf den Informationstafeln an den Wänden der Ausstellung. Ihr Feedback zum VR-Bereich, zur Organisation und zur Länge der Inhalte nehmen wir ebenfalls ernst und werden es intern besprechen, um das Erlebnis für zukünftige Gäste weiter zu verbessern. Wir danken Ihnen nochmals für Ihre ehrliche Rückmeldung und wünschen Ihnen alles Gute!
I had a truly lovely visit to the Northern Lights Center in Reykjavik. The atmosphere is warm and cosy, and the friendly chat with the receptionist made the experience feel even more personal. She was welcoming, knowledgeable, and added a nice human touch to the visit. The highlight for me was the 3D presentation of the Northern Lights. It shows the aurora as it appears in different parts of Iceland, with a beautiful variety of colours and shapes. It’s a great way to understand how unique and magical this phenomenon can be — even if you don’t get to see it outdoors. There is also a small gift shop with carefully selected items, perfect for picking up a meaningful souvenir. A wonderful stop in Reykjavik and a great way to experience the Northern Lights in a calm, informative, and inspiring setting. Highly recommended.
Thank you so much for this review, Stella! It was lovely meeting you and having a chat about our museum and sharing our work experiences. We're very glad you enjoyed our exhibition so much, and thank you for your kind words about our gift shop area, we do take care of carefully selecting everything so our customers can always find something meaningful and aurora-related to take home :) we hope to see you again soon!
Really a bit of a tourist trap, especially considering the cost. The museum is small and while the exhibits are interesting, you don't learn much more than you would find on a good website. The movie was really nice as we got to see places we had been and aurora captured there but we had seen an IMAX presentation at a museum back home that was much more informative. Unless you have not seen the aurora in person, you can skip this attraction.
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re sorry to hear that you didn’t feel the experience was worth the cost, despite enjoying our cinema and exhibits. Our goal is to offer visitors a deeper understanding and appreciation of the northern lights, through unique contents and our immersive video exhibits. Among them, Aurora Reykjavík features the world’s first VR experience dedicated to the northern lights, exclusive to our center. The totality of our content is created locally by our award-winning team of photographers and experts. We are home to the largest collection of Northern Lights information in Iceland, with a mix of written materials, interactive displays, and an audioguide to enhance the experience. All for a very competitive entry price, consistently below the average of the Capital's specialty museums. We appreciate your feedback and hope you’ll visit again to explore more of what we have to offer.
The tour is complete and interactive. I recommend!
Merci beaucoup pour votre recommandation! Nous sommes ravis que vous ayez apprécié le côté complet et interactif de la visite. Au plaisir de vous accueillir à nouveau très bientôt!
