Eldheimar Volcano Museum
Eldheimar
A museum built around a home excavated from volcanic ash, recreating the 1973 Eldfell eruption and the island's mass evacuation.
Eldheimar is known as the Pompeii of the North. The museum's centerpiece is a home buried by volcanic ash in 1973 and later fully excavated, and through the glass you can see the collapsed furnishings inside. The multimedia exhibition halls tell the story through residents' recollections, footage, and audio guides in several languages. They cover the evacuation on the night of the eruption and the heroic effort by firefighters, who cooled the lava with seawater to save the harbor. Another section introduces Surtsey, the island born in 1963. A visit takes about 1 to 1.5 hours, and admission is about 3,000 Icelandic krónur. Located at the foot of Eldfell, it can be combined with a climb up the mountain.
Opening hours
Summer approx. 11:00–17:00; shorter in winter (check official website)
Nearby sights
- Helgafell
- Sea Life Trust Beluga Whale Sanctuary
- Skansinn & Stave Church
- Sagnheimar Folk Museum
- Vestmannaeyjar Boat Tour
- Eldfell
- Landakirkja
- Heimaklettur