Eldheimar | Award Winning Museum

The Icelandic eruption in Heimaey 1973 buried around four hundreds of houses. Archaeologists have been uncovering what remained of the buildings, giving the island the nickname “Pompeii of the North”. An entire museum, Eldheimar has been built around the remains of one of the homes. It’s totally worth seeing the museum and to get closer to the history of Heimaey.

Upon entering you are given an audio guide that tracks you through the sections of the museum. The stories on the audio add much to the presentation.

The displays are centered on an excavated home that was buried by ash during the eruption. Audio guides take you through the zones starting with the home and continuing around it to describe the history and events; before, during and after the eruption. The guide is informative and some of the hands-on displays are really excellent.

You can choose languages from:

• Deutsch
• English
• Francais
• Icelandic
• Norsk

We recommend visiting this museum at the beginning of your visit to the Westman Islands, especially on windy or rainy days.

This museum is a must-visit for everyone coming to Westman Islands. This exhibition focuses on one of Iceland´s biggest natural disasters; the 1973 Volcanic eruption in Eldfell. The highlight of the exhibition is the house that has been dug up from the ashes.

After your tour around the museum, there is a little coffee shop on the second floor where you can enjoy your coffee inside or go outside with a view over the Islands towards Heimaklettur

Opening hours:
– Open every day from 10:00-18:00.

Open for groups outside opening hours upon request

“Powerful experience must see!!” -TripAdvisor