In honor of the blog’s anniversary, here’s a new post. The content is new, but perhaps a bit dated as I visited the museum a while ago, so don’t quote me on the hours and such. I’ve actually had this post completed a while ago, and was waiting for another to be done before I posted it, but the next one is taking me a while, so for now, we have this one…

Icelandic Phallological Museum, located in Reykjavic, Iceland
(Hið Íslenzka Reðasafn)

The Icelandic Phallological Museum is open daily from 10am to 7pm. Admission to the museum is 2500ISK, which is a little over 19USD. (How much over 19USD will depend on the exchange rate when you visit.) The museum is accessible via walking, driving and public transportation. Depending on where you staying in Reykjavik, walking to the museum is an option. (My travel buddies and I actually walked to the museum as we were anticipating a difficult parking situation, cause it’s usually hard to find parking in a city; I think our walk was about 30-40 minutes cause we were staying far from the city center, but it’s doable.) If you have access to a car, then you can drive to museum. The museum doesn’t have a parking lot, but there is street parking available and there are parking garages nearby. If you don’t want to walk and/or don’t have a car, then public transportation will get you the museum. Bus numbers 1, 3, 6, 11, 12, 13 and 14 will get you to the museum, although there’s still a 5-10 minute walk as there are no bus stops directly in front of the museum. The museum is located in the city center, so one can definitely do some eating and shopping nearby. If you’re interested in visiting other museums, the Reykjavik Art Museum and The Settlement Exhibition are nearby.

The Icelandic Phallological Museum is a one floor museum that is separated into four different rooms. Admission to the museum includes an audio guide, so don’t forget to take one. (I don’t quite remember the contents of the guide, it’s been some time, but I do know the audio guide lasts about 40 minutes.) If you’ve ever wondered what any animal penis looks like, you need not look further, from land to sea, big to small, the museum has it all. The main room of the museum houses the majority of the displays and can be aptly named “Penises of Iceland”, as it features specimens from almost all of the land and sea mammals that can be found in Iceland. If you’re wondering, the museum does have human specimens on display, but they’re covered by a cloth, so as not to get accused of indecent exposure, since younger children are allowed to visit. The second room contains specimens of foreign animals not native to Iceland, such as elephants, giraffes and foxes to name a few. Also in this room are some letters of donations from still living people who intend to donate to the museum when they are no longer alive; for now you can see casts of some of the living members. The third room focuses on penises of folklore. Visitors can see specimens of an Icelandic Elf, an Icelandic Christmas lad, a kelpie and other mythical creatures. (Not sure how serious this section is supposed to be, but I thought it was whimsical.) Last room is a library, which I didn’t really look into, so not exactly sure what’s there besides books. In addition, the museum contains some art pieces and figurines relating to the theme of the museum.

My usual travel buddies and I spent about an hour exploring the museum, but as always, other visitors may take more or less time depending on their interest levels. About the museum admission, I wish it was a bit cheaper, just five dollars less and I would be satisfied as the museum does include an audio guide and the topic is quite niche, but it just feels a bit expensive for a museum that can be completed in an hour. Anyone interested in animals, science and the more niche topic of penises will definitely enjoy a visit. If you’ve ever wondered about animal penises and would like a closer examination than just watching a nature documentary, then take a visit to the Icelandic Phallological Museum, they probably a have specimen on view for an up close and personal look.