Herring Era Museum
The Herring Era Museum in Siglufjörður showcases Iceland’s herring fishing and processing history, featuring restored buildings and interactive exhibits.
Planning your visit
Between the 1900s and 1968, herring made Iceland. Siglufjörður, a remote fjord town in the north, grew from a few hundred people to a boom settlement where thousands of seasonal workers gutted and salted fish on the quays around the clock during the summer runs, and the trade generated a substantial share of national export earnings.
Then the stock collapsed from overfishing, essentially overnight, and the town emptied.
The museum occupies several restored buildings on the harbour: a salting station where demonstrations of the gutting and packing are staged, a boathouse with vessels, a factory building with the meal and oil plant machinery, and workers' dormitories furnished as they were.
It has won European museum awards, and the reconstruction is unusually thorough.
Siglufjörður is reached through tunnels on the northern coast. Allow two hours. The main booking is an entrance ticket. Current availability is listed below.
Before you book
Where is Herring Era Museum?
Herring Era Museum is in Siglufjörður, Iceland. The map on this page marks its exact location.
How long should I allow for Herring Era Museum?
Allow two hours. That is the time the collection itself takes at an unhurried pace, before any queue.
Do I need to book Herring Era Museum in advance?
Tickets can be bought on the door at quiet times, but booking ahead fixes the date and avoids the queue at busy ones. Live availability is shown on this page.