Bjarnarhöfn Shark Museum in Iceland (Beware of the smell!)

Shark Museum in Iceland

This post is special because it marks the finale of Museum of the Month. I’ve loved all the visits I’ve taken to various museums around the world and I hope you’ve enjoyed reading them too.

When I began this series last January I had no idea where I’d end up, but fast-forward 12 months and we’re at the Bjarnarhöfn Shark Museum in Iceland.

I think it’s an interesting museum to finish the series on. It captures the essence of why I decided to do this series: to rebuff the notion that museums are boring!

This museum is not like a museum at all. First of all it is nestled deep inside a spectacular landscape of lava fields not far from the fishing village of Stykkishólmur so it’s worth going for the drive alone.

Inside Bjarnarhöfn Shark Museum

Bjanarhofn, lave fields Iceland

It’s also worth mentioning that Stykkishólmur was featured in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty where bizarrely it was masquerading as Greenland! Then there is the arrangement of the Shark Museum which is unlike any ordinary museum – the arrangement being that there is no particular arrangement.

If you look at something, you’re often left wondering if it’s actually part of the display or whether it’s just a bit of clutter that’s been pulled out from a desk drawer. The closest thing that describes the overall appearance of the Shark Museum is a random man’s garage. Later I would learn it’s a farm which is still functioning today.

I’m not really selling it, am I? Or maybe I am.

Its randomness and shabby appearance is a huge part of its charm. It feels homely, and nothing feels more homely to me than being greeted by a dog somewhere new. Yes, a dog at the museum! (Remember it’s also a farm so a dog really is nothing to be surprised about, but it didn’t stop me going all high-pitched and goo-goo eyed!). I was greeted with a sharp bark but as I drew closer it rolled onto the floor and started wriggling around on its back so I took the opportunity to give it a good belly scratch whilst I could.

By now I didn’t even care about the museum, I could have stayed outside playing with this gorgeous Icelandic sheepdog all day.

Icelandic dog at Bjarnarhöfn Shark Museum

Icelandic sheepdog

Prising myself away from man’s best friend, I walked into the museum and lo and behold, what did I find? More furry creatures in the form of two cats mooching around the place. Again, my attention was diverted in favour of animal petting.

I was soon greeted at the door by a jovial looking old man with thick arched eyebrows and red cheeks.

He beckoned me into the main museum through hand motions waving back and fourth. It was then that I realised he couldn’t speak any English so we communicated with enthusiastic smiles, head nods and gestures.

The museum is owned by his son but he wasn’t there, so I was in the care of his father who I’m going to call grandpa because he was warm and friendly and cute 🙂

Bjarnarhöfn Shark Museum, Iceland Grandpa

The room is filled with an eclectic mix of fishing tools, bones, dried shark skins, as well as taxidermy relating mostly to Arctic birdlife. I want to say now that sharks are not specifically hunted, it so happens that some might get caught in the net when other fish are being sourced.

Shark Museum in Iceland

Grandpa put on a short video for us to watch that detailed the process involved in making fermented Greenlandic shark (also known as hákarl or rotten shark).

I discovered the drying process takes 4-5 months and also if eaten fresh it is poisonous!

The fermentation significantly reduces bacteria and rids it of ammonia. It hardly sounds appetising does it?

But many Icelanders would disagree because it’s actually considered a delicacy. If you want to learn more about unique Icelandic dishes, check out → The Usual & Bizarre Foods of Iceland

Other interesting facts about the Greenland Shark is that it’s not known to have any known predators.

Shark Museum, Iceland

Tasting rotten shark

After the video finished Grandpa ushered me over to a table and pointed to a plastic container and then pointed to his mouth.

Whatever was in there he was inviting me to eat it. You don’t need me to tell you what it was: diced up samples of hákarl.

Hákarl fermented shark

Grandpa was smiling at me as I took a small chunk of it and gingerly placed it into my mouth.

I’m not one to usually hide my expressions, but wasn’t able to disguise the grimace that unfolded as soon as it hit my taste buds. It was gross!

He started to laugh and patted me on the back. If there was a test to pass, then I passed it.

It’s difficult to describe what it’s like, but the texture is closest to octopus I’d say. If you read the Wikipedia page for hákarl you will discover that the mere fact I managed to swallow is quite the achievement!

But cooler than my ability to swallow rotten shark is grandpa’s appearance on National Geographic’s exploration of the World’s Most Unusual Foods:

Once I had looked around the museum (which is just one large room) it was time to visit the drying shed around the back of the farm – this is something you cannot miss!

Not only is it a slice into traditional Icelandic culture, you also get to experience the smell. If you think it tastes bad, wait until you smell it in its full rotten glory!

Bjanarhofn, shark drying shed
Hakarl, rotten shark

Additional Information about Bjarnarhöfn Shark Museum

How to get there: Approx. 20 minutes drive west from Stykkishólmur to Grundarfjörður
Admission fee
: 900 ISK
Opening times: 09.00 – 18.00 (in the summer should close at 20.00 but check their website beforehand)
Website: www.bjarnarhofn.is

And for more things to do on Snæfellsnes peninsula, read my other post titled, Exploring Snæfellsnes Peninsula in Iceland – the Main Attractions.

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Hi, I'm Shing

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14 Responses

  1. Ugh, eating that little that little cube of hákarl looks pretty grim to me! Such an odd little museum, I’ve thought that about loads of quite good museums in my time though.

    1. Haha Charlie, I think grim pretty much sums it up! An odd but interesting museum. I’d love to know more about some of the lesser known museums you’ve been to!

  2. I am SO bummed we missed that. Next time.
    I am seriously impressed that you kept that bad boy down. We spoke to some locals and half them said they won’t even touch it. So glad you shared this because I was sad I missed it.

    Some times the smelly stuff is worth the exciting factor. The smell in the prosciutto factory we visited in Bologna was…unique. Haha

    Thanks for sharing.

    1. Ahhh interesting to hear about your conversation with the locals, I wonder who does actually like the taste of it? I’m yet to find someone!

      Oh gosh, when I ate meat I used to LOVE prosciutto ham. I bet the factory had such a pungent smell! Have you written about your experience of going there? I’d love to read it if you have.

  3. Good job (I think?) on eating and swallowing a bite of hakarl! Lordy, you had my gag reflex partially activated there. Then I watched the video and a really nice gag silently distorted my face. I can’t believe that girl with the short blonde hair put it in her mouth like it was candy! Yuck LOL 🙂 Anyhoo, this museum gets my #1 ranking for the obvious reason….you and the dog!!! Woo hoo!! Thank you for that 🙂 Merry Christmas to you and your family, Shing 🙂

    1. Haha, I’m Chinese, I’ll eat anything 😉

      Ahhh the dogs! How can you not fall in love with them, eh? You’d have been in your element.

      Merry Christmas to you too Mike, I hope 2015 has lots in store for you!

  4. Hello, I am off back to Iceland in March 2015, I done the usual trips last time now looking for something ‘different’. How far is this from Reykjavik? On the map could I include this with Geysir / Gullfoss as friends have not been there anyway or is it way, way out? Alternatively do restaurants in Reykjavik serve or allow you to try this?

    1. Hi Tony! It’s pretty far from Reykjavik, approx 2h 30 mins give or take, so couldn’t be done in a day trip if you wanted to include the Golden Circle unfortunately. If you’re looking for places relatively nearby Reykjavik, have you been to the geothermal fields of Seltun or Gunnuhver? I wrote about them here if you’d like to know more: http://www.theculturemap.com/seltun-walking-mars-iceland/

      Hmmm, I’ve not eaten hákarl in Reykjavik but I’ve just looked online and seen that a restaurant called The Icelandic Bar serves it as well as several other Icelandic specialities. Here’s the website for more info: http://islenskibarinn.is/net/en/um-okkur/ Because I’ve not eaten here I cannot vouch for the quality, but if you click under the subheading on the menu it looks quite promising!

      Hope this helps, and have a fabulous time whatever you decide to do! 🙂

  5. I always seem the end up here before I go somewhere 😉 Well I guess I pass on the hákarl but kudos to you Shing, I don’t know many women, if any at all, who would have eaten it.
    Up north this time in a couple of weeks, main location will be in Skagaströnd (hiking and property hunting…), also 2 nights at the Blue Lagoon Clinic with their fantastic private Lagoon and 2 days in good ol’ Reykjavik. 😉

    1. Dan! My fellow Iceland enthusiast!

      I’ve never been to Skagastrond, and my knowledge of the area is really poor so I would love to get acquainted with it… and I’d also like to visit to Akureyri…. next time, next time – I must remind myself that there is no rush!

      Enjoy hiking and I hope the property hunting is successful!

      Mmmmm the Blue Lagoon is always a good idea 😀

      1. No rush is always a good advice 😉 I really liked the south of Iceland but I love the North! Wow, so many nice places, unfortunately on the way up we had the worst snowstorm ever, visibility was ZERO in parts and it took a good 5 hours to drive from Skagaströnd to Siglufjördur, which is only a 150 km. But it was so worth it and after spending the first 4 days in deepest winter, which btw. is not normal for this time of the year, not even in Iceland, we were rewarded with sunshine and blue skies and we were finally able to see the beauty of it all. We also passed Akureyri which even has an international Airport with flights from and to London Gatwick and Berlin. But I strongly advise to either stay in the hering town of Siglufjördur or the Myvatn area. Look up LOFTHELLIR ICE CAVE, I am still speechless of what I saw there, one of the best experiences ever. If you like to see some pictures, let me know and I’ll send them over to you. And the best for last, I found a property! In the process of buying it right now, so the dream has come one step closer 🙂

        1. Whoop that’s amazing news!! You found a property! I would love to know what you envisage it to be like… will it be a sort of guest house?

          Ok. Deep Breath. WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW!!! LOFTHELLIR ICE CAVES ARE OUT OF THIS WORLD!!! I’m speechless just looking at them never mind even going and experiencing it first hand! How have I not heard of them before? Thank you so much for passing on this info! I would LOVE to see some of your pictures, please can you send me some to look at?

          1. Of course I can send you some pictures. As for the property, self catering guest house equipped to a high standard in a stunning location with breath taking views would probably describe it best. You are still high up on the list of first visitors allowed to see it, after all how could I pass on the opportunity to have travel blog royality come to visit? 😉 Icelanders seem to be pretty chilled about selling property though, no rush whatsoever. I guess the whole process might take several weeks, if not months….
            I found Lofthellir just by googling for things to do in the North, worth every penny and so much more. Off to send you some pics 🙂

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