Celebrating Bíldudalur’s legacy of spotting freaky creatures from the sea, and occasionally crawling on land, the Icelandic Sea Monster Museum, or Skrímslasetrið, has exhibitions that go beyond folkloric anecdotes, with interactive exhibits and stories dating from hundreds of years ago to the modern day, and many living locals claiming to have seen sea monsters. The museum gives visitors a sense of what could possibly be lurking in the depths of the nearby fjords.
Monster Sightings
Museum owner Lilja Rut Rúnarsdóttir claims that there have been hundreds of sea monster sightings in this part of Iceland. The last reported sighting was in 2024 by a local farmer. Some monsters have been seen so frequently they have names. Nocturnal Skeljaskrímsli (or Shell Monster) is covered in a shell-like skin. Fjörulalli (Shore Laddie) has fangs and webbed feet, Hafmaður (Sea Man) is an ugly beast with a big belly and Faxi (Combed Monster/Sea Horse) has a bright red mane and flashing green eyes.
Model Monsters
Step into a low-lit tunnel with models of monsters based on people’s accounts, including Arnarfjörður, which is believed to have attacked a local farm named Krosseyri twice and has reportedly dragged men into the sea. Stories date back to the 18th century. There’s a model of Shore Laddie, a monster personally seen by the museum’s owner, and cabinets are filled with smaller monsters, such as the Little Seahorse of Arnarfjörður, said to look like a seal with flippers at the front, but shaped like a horse at the rear.
Interactive Exhibits
A central bookshelf contains dozens of accounts of locals sea monster encounters, with video interviews, images, and audio bringing these legendary creatures to life. Delve into the Story Trunk, a large map with 20 stories from the Arnarfjörður area.
