A Close Encounter with Those Majestic Giants of the Deep
Personally, I have always loved whales. Blue whales, humpbacks, sperm whales, and of course those oh-so-friendly dolphins have always fascinated me. Who can forget the plaintive sounds of the humpback whales that accompanied Judy Collins in her rendition of the old Scottish whaling song ‘Farewell to Tarwathie’?
A First for Iceland
The idea for the exhibition came about a few years ago in response to mounting interest in whales worldwide, coupled with the rise in tourism to Iceland. With the help of private investors, plans were laid to create a tribute to these impressive marine mammals and it was with great excitement and fanfare that Whales of Iceland’s 1,700 square metre exhibition hall opened its doors to the public in February 2015.
Soothing Surround-Sounds
Whales of Iceland is the largest whale exhibition in Europe (and quite possibly the planet), with 23 full-scale replicas of the whales that frequent Icelandic coastal waters. Here you can immerse yourself in another realm and forget your cares (for awhile at least) of the world ‘up top’. Beautiful, soothing surround-sounds of whale songs, clicks, as well as the gentle sound of pulsating waves adds an extra dimension to this unique experience.
Close Encounters of a Cetacean Kind
Being in such close proximity to the life-size models gives many visitors a new appreciation of their grandeur and scale, while meticulously researched information panels give you the low-down on the details of each magnificent animal. Made of steel and foam, each model’s ‘skin’ is hand stitched together and when finished the largest among them weighs up to two tonnes.
Free Coffee!
After you have had time to soak up the magic, take a moment to enjoy a hot coffee or tea in the main hall – it’s on the house.
Whale watching tours can be booked in the lobby and
the gift shop is where you will find many lovely whale and marine life-related items, both decorative and practical.
If you love whales, you’ll find the Whales of Iceland
exhibition, located near Reykjavik Harbour in the Grandi District, to be not only an enchanting experience, but also an educational one that the whole family will enjoy.
The whales would certainly approve!
Whales of Iceland is open year round, except over Christmas and New Year’s Day. Winter opening times are from 10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.
Whales of Iceland
Fiskislóð 23-25
Reykjavik 101
Tel: (+354) 571 0077
email: [email protected]
www.whalesoficeland.is
-EMV
