Guide de Voyage : Le Musée Islandais du Rock ’n’ Roll

The Icelandic Museum of Rock ’n’ Roll is a museum in Keflavik dedicated to the history of rock and pop music.

Travelers can visit the museum with an interactive guided tour on an iPad. Alternatively, anyone taking a self-drive tour of Iceland can go to the museum when they arrive in the town of Keflavik.

The museum, known as Rokksafn Íslands in Icelandic, gives visitors a close look at Icelandic rock music and the success of some of the country’s best-known bands and musicians. The exhibits include clothes worn and instruments played by various Icelandic musicians, such as Bjork and Sigur Ros.

Photo from Flickr, Creative Commons, by David Stanley. No edits made.

Why Visit the Icelandic Museum of Rock ’n’ Roll?

This family-friendly museum provides an exciting look at the history of popular music in Iceland. Visitors will receive an iPad on arrival to give them a guided tour of the museum. The tour is available in five languages (English, French, German, Norwegian, and Icelandic).

The museum teaches visitors about the background of famous Icelandic musicians, including Bjork, Paul Oscar, Sigur Ros, Kaleo, and Of Monsters and Men. It explains the development of these bands and how they found global success in a fun, interactive way.

In addition to the memorabilia on display, the museum has a 20-seat cinema running short films about Icelandic music. Other highlights include a karaoke booth, which lets you record videos of yourself singing along to popular songs from Iceland. You can watch the video as many times as you like, as the machine will send it to your email address.

There’s a cafe where guests can get a cup of tea or coffee and a gift shop that sells t-shirts, music, and other merchandise.

Where Is the Icelandic Museum of Rock ’n’ Roll?

The museum is situated in the town of Keflavik (also known as Reykjanesbaer) on the Reykjanes peninsula. It’s only 2.5 miles (around four kilometers) from Keflavik International Airport, meaning it’s a great place to spend a couple of hours if your flight out of Iceland is delayed.

What Are the Opening Hours of the Icelandic Museum of Rock ’n’ Roll?

The museum is open from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m every day apart from Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, Good Friday, and Easter Day.

There are discounted rates for students, seniors, and people with disabilities. Children aged 16 and under go free.

Other Attractions Near the Icelandic Museum of Rock ’n’ Roll

There are several things to do nearby if you want to spend an afternoon in Keflavik. A visit to the Viking World museum will teach you about the history of Vikings in Iceland. Beautiful lighthouses are also nearby, including the Holmsberg and Gardur lighthouses.

Major sights near the Icelandic Museum of Rock ’n’ Roll include the world-famous Blue Lagoon geothermal spa. The incredible hot spring area is 12 miles (about 19 kilometers) from the museum. Spend the morning soaking and relaxing in the geothermal waters, then head to the museum for some culture. 

The city of Reykjavik and its incredible sightseeing opportunities are only 30 miles (about 47 kilometers) northeast of the museum.