The history of sailing

This exhibition recounts Iceland's maritime history and the growth of Reykjavík Harbor.   Iceland's settlement can be traced to Nordic seafarers sailing the North Atlantic. The first settler, Ingólfur Arnarson, chose the area that is now Reykjavík to make his home. It was a natural haven, with the inlet at Grandagarður being well sheltered for pulling boats safely ashore. For centuries, this natural harbor was one of the country’s main fisheries and trading centers, and over the years, Reykjavík Harbor grew to become Iceland's largest port.

As the 19^_th century progressed, seafaring and fishing greatly increased in Iceland, particularly in Reykjavík. The city’s first Harbor Committee was commissioned in 1855, but many years passed before harbor construction began. The main reason was the existing natural haven, but as the 19^_th century ended, it became clear that the harbor had to be improved to handle ever-increasing activity. In 1910, Gabriel Smith, harbormaster in Oslo, arrived to study conditions in Reykjavík. He submitted ideas for developing the harbor, which began being implemented in 1913. These ideas turned out to be visionary. The expansion of Reykjavík Harbor became the largest construction project ever undertaken in Iceland, a project that would solidify the capital’s dominance in the fisheries, commerce and seafaring.

Iceland experienced a social and economic transformation at the dawn of the 20^_th century, with the fisheries and other maritime activities playing a major role. Rowboats and sailing smacks made way for motorized vessels, and in 1914 Icelanders finally had their own steamship company, Eimskip. These changes were representative of Iceland's rebirth from centuries of poverty to a modern, mechanized society, and Reykjavík was at the center of these changes. The harbor construction of 1913 – 1917 created a sanctuary for ships and boats, which was indispensable for ongoing economic growth.          

The exhibition is partly displayed in Bryggjusalurinn, which was the Reykjavík Municipal Fishing Company‘s fish-processing room. The high-ceiling room has a specially designed and constructed wooden pier that is 17 meters long and 5 meters wide. Seawater flows below the pier. The entranceway is through the steamship Gullfoss from 1915, which leads onto its deck and from there down the gangplank to the pier. Gullfoss’s deck was reconstructed to give visitors the feel of being onboard, and visitors actually become part of the exhibition: those on the pier experience visitors on Gullfoss’s deck as passengers, while people on the pier are viewed as Rekjavíkurs watching the ship dock.

Along the wooden pier flows sea from the harbour and one can see the beautiful life in the seawater.  On the picture here to the side, one of the museums curators is feeding the fishes and guests watch.

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