For some birdwatching background, swing by Sigurgeir’s Bird Museum, housed in a beautiful lakeside building that fuses modern design with traditional turfhouse. Inside you’ll find an impressive collection of taxidermic avians (more than 180 types from around the world), including every species of bird that calls Iceland home (except one – the grey phalarope). Designer lighting and detailed captions further enhance the experience.
The menagerie of stuffed squawkers started as the private collection of a local named Sigurgeir Stefansson. Tragically, Sigurgeir drowned in the lake at the age of 37 – the museum was erected in his honour. The museum also houses a small cafe and lends out high-tech telescopes to ornithological enthusiasts, plus has hides for rent.
Take a look in the small water feature at the centre of the exhibition hall to see the green surprise that lurks inside: marimo balls (little spheres of green algae).
