Whale Museum: A Unique Experience with a Touch of Old

For more than three centuries whaling was a solid foundation of Iceland's economy and helped Icelanders survive and later prosper. For the past twenty years or so Icelanders have discovered a new way to benefit from whales without killing them: whale watching.

If there is one place in Iceland that is known for whale watching it is the town of Húsavík. Thousands of tourists visit Húsavík each year to take a look at some of the world's largest animals. During this time an infrastructure of facilities and services has been built in this friendly town that makes visits to Húsavík and whale watching even more enjoyable.

One of the facilities recently developed is the Húsavík Whale Museum. The museum is located in an old slaughterhouse that today has a more animal-friendly purpose. Inside the museum skeletons of numerous whale species from small to gigantic ones are exhibited. There is also educational information on whales, whaling and whale research including photographs and videos.

The whale watching along with the whale museum has changed tourism in the northern part of Iceland and provided insight into both whaling in times gone by and the view of today on whale preservation.

The Húsavík Whale Museum Website contains information about the museum and its opening hours, whale watching and whale research. The Website's information is available in English and Icelandic. The map below shows the location and route to Húsavík.

Posted on: Mar 14 2011 in Places and Attractions