The Icelandic Phallological Museum

About The Icelandic Phallological Museum

The Icelandic Phallological Museum is a museum in central Reykjavík devoted to the penises of mammals, and it presents itself as the only museum in the world dedicated to phallology. It is located at Hafnartorg, between the old harbour and the city centre, a few minutes' walk from Harpa and Austurvöllur.

The collection began as a private hobby of Sigurður Hjartarson, and the museum first opened in August 1997. It later spent some years in Húsavík in North Iceland before returning to Reykjavík in 2011, and it is now run by the founder's son. Figures for the collection vary between sources, but it holds several hundred specimens from well over 90 species, ranging from tiny preserved samples to the very large organs of whales, alongside artworks, carvings and folklore-themed objects.

The tone mixes biology with humour. Specimens are labelled with the species they come from, many of them animals found in and around Iceland, such as whales, seals and land mammals, and the displays are frank rather than explicit in a pornographic sense. Most visitors spend 45 minutes to an hour inside. It is an easy indoor option on a wet or dark day, and it pairs naturally with other small museums in the old centre.

The museum is open every day from 10:00 to 19:00, and adult admission is ISK 3,900; check the museum's website for reduced prices and any changes. There is a café and bistro on site serving coffee, local beer and novelty food. The address is Reykjastræti 4 at Hafnartorg, 101 Reykjavík, and it is easily reached on foot from anywhere downtown.