Icelandic Seal Center
About Icelandic Seal Center
The Icelandic Seal Center (Selasetur Íslands) is a small museum and research center on the harbor in Hvammstangi, a village on Miðfjörður in Northwest Iceland. It sits in a red wooden building by the water and covers the seals of the North Atlantic and Arctic, from their biology to the history of seal hunting in Iceland.
Inside, a complete seal skeleton stands beside a harbor porpoise skeleton, and a small cinema plays a documentary on Icelandic seals. A touch screen tracks five young gray seals fitted with GPS tags, and a window looks into the working lab where staff analyze samples. There is also a walrus exhibition and a creative corner for kids, so it works well as a family stop.
The center doubles as the local tourist information desk, which matters if you plan to see seals in the wild. Staff can point you to the current seal-watching spots around the Vatnsnes peninsula. Two of the best spots are the hide at Illugastaðir and the beach below Hvítserkur, the basalt sea stack on the peninsula's east side.
Hvammstangi is a five-minute drive off Route 1 and roughly three and a half hours by car from either Reykjavík or Akureyri. That puts the Icelandic Seal Center near the halfway point of a Ring Road drive through the north. Plan on 45 minutes to an hour inside, then add a few hours if you continue around Vatnsnes on the gravel road.
From May 1 to September 30 the museum is open daily from 10:00 to 18:00. Between October 1 and April 30 it opens Monday to Friday from 11:00 to 15:00 and stays closed on weekends. Admission is 1,900 ISK for adults and 1,500 ISK for seniors and disabled visitors, while children 15 and under get in free with an adult.
Good to know
Where is the Icelandic Seal Center?
The Icelandic Seal Center is at Strandgata 1 on the harbor in Hvammstangi, Northwest Iceland. The village is a five-minute drive from Route 1 and roughly three and a half hours by car from Reykjavík.
What are the Icelandic Seal Center opening hours?
From May 1 to September 30 it is open every day from 10:00 to 18:00. From October 1 to April 30 it opens Monday to Friday from 11:00 to 15:00 and is closed on weekends.
How much does the Icelandic Seal Center cost?
Adult admission is 1,900 ISK. Seniors, disabled visitors and groups of 10 or more pay 1,500 ISK each, and children 15 and under get in free with an adult.
Where can you see seals near Hvammstangi?
The best-known spots are the hide at Illugastaðir and the shore below Hvítserkur, both on the Vatnsnes peninsula north of Hvammstangi. Ask at the Seal Center which colonies are active before you set out, and keep your distance from the animals.
How long do you need at the Icelandic Seal Center?
Most visitors spend 45 minutes to an hour in the exhibition. Allow a few more hours if you plan to drive the Vatnsnes peninsula afterward to look for seals in the wild.
Is the Icelandic Seal Center good for kids?
Yes, the exhibition is designed for children as well as adults, with a creative corner, a seal cinema and touch screens. Children 15 and under get in free with an adult.
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