Not many people realize that Reykjavík is the largest shipping town in Iceland. There is also the biggest and largest museum in the country about the fishing industry, the Reykjavík Maritime Museum. The museum was founded at the end of 2004 and opened with the first exhibition on Fishermen’s Day, Day of the Sea, in June 2005. The museum is located in Grandagarður in the building that used to house the offices and fish processing of Bæjarútgerð Reykjavíkur (BÚR). In 2014, the Maritime Museum was combined with other museums in Reykjavík that have to do with the history of Iceland but primarily of the capital, under the name Reykjavík City Museum. The museum’s permanent exhibition is Fish and Folk – 150 Years of Fisheries.
Icelandic Times / Land & Saga went down to Reykjavík Harbor and checked out this fine exhibition about the history of Icelandic fisheries. From the time when rowing boats gave way to large fishing vessels in the late 19th century through to the 21st century. This remarkable story is told with a strong focus on Reykjavík. Not only is the capital the largest shipping town in the country, but the export companies and shipping companies have their headquarters in the capital. As well as powerful shipping companies such as Brim, founded when BÚR merged with Ísbjörninn to form the Grandi shipping company, which later became Brim, the largest in the country.
Reykjavík 02/08/2022 : A7C, RX1R II : FE 1.4/24mm GM, 2.0/35mm Z
Photographs and text: Páll Stefánsson
