The Geothermal Exhibition

About The Geothermal Exhibition

The Geothermal Exhibition is a visitor center inside the Hellisheiði Geothermal Power Plant (Hellisheiðarvirkjun), run by ON Power on the slopes of Mount Hengill about 25 km east of Reykjavík. The plant is one of the largest geothermal plants in the world, and the exhibition shows where the hot water in every Reykjavík shower comes from.

You'll find it just off Route 1, about 30 km west of Selfoss, so the drive takes roughly 25 minutes from the capital. That puts it right on the way to Hveragerði, the South Coast and the Golden Circle, and the steam plumes you see from the highway are your landmark.

Inside, a self-guided audio tour in English or Icelandic takes about 45 to 60 minutes. It explains how steam and hot water are pulled from deep underground and turned into electricity and district heating for the capital area. You can't enter the Hellisheiði power plant itself, but viewing decks look into the turbine halls and over the working areas, and 3D models of the turbines and heat exchangers fill in the rest.

Science communicators on the floor are happy to answer questions, which is where many visitors get the most out of the stop. Groups can book guided tours, including Carbfix tours that cover the carbon-storage project at the plant and can include a visit to an injection site.

The Geothermal Exhibition in Iceland is open every day, from 9:00 to 17:00 between April 1 and October 31 and from 9:00 to 16:00 between November 1 and March 31. It closes on some holidays, so check the official website before you go. Tickets are booked online, and the price shows at checkout.

Parking is free, and almost all of the exhibition is wheelchair accessible, with elevators to every level except the third-floor balconies. The Kaffi Orka café sells coffee, pastries and beer brewed with geothermal power. On a wet or windy day it makes a sensible indoor stop, and it pairs well with the hot river at Reykjadalur, about 15 minutes farther east.