Free Entry to the Reyk­javík Mari­time Mu­seum on Mu­seum Night

Welcome to the Reykjavík Maritime Museum on Museum Night, Friday 6 February from 18:00–22:00. Free admission and everyone is welcome! The exhibition Fish & folk – 150 years of fisheries at the Reykjavík Maritime Museum is about the history of the Icelandic fisheries, from the time when rowing boats gave way to large fishing vessels in the late 19th century, through to the 21st century. This rich history is told from the perspective of Iceland’s biggest fishing port, Reykjavík. The Maritime Museum’s setting is an appropriate one, as the building once housed a flourishing fish factory. The exhibition "A View of the North" is on display in the Engine Room. It explores French expeditions to the Arctic and is a collaborative project between the Reykjavík City Museum and the School of Humanities at the University of Iceland. In May 1835, French physician and adventurer Paul Gaimard arrived in Reykjavik in search of the ship La Lilloise, but instead became captivated by the land and its people. He led the largest foreign scientific expedition ever sent to Iceland, accompanied by a team of scholars and artists who studied the country’s culture, society, and nature during the years 1835–1836. The findings were published in 12 volumes, including three illustrated books, which became invaluable sources on 19th-century Iceland and had a profound impact on both the country’s international image and Icelanders’ perception of their own cultural heritage.