Perlan - Wonders of Iceland

Overview

The first ideas for the construction of a magnificent building on Öskjuhlíð are from the year 1930 and those ideas come from Jóhannes Kjarval. Regarding the building, Kjarval says: “the temple sides were to be covered with mirror slabs, so that the northern lights could approach the feet of men - the roof was to be decorated with crystals in at every color, and a floodlight was to be at the top of the ridge that illuminated all the tanks. The house itself was supposed to correspond to the light of day and the symbols of the night. ”This is an incredibly accurate description of a building that was designed and built 60 years later.

Öskjuhlíð :
Öskjuhlíð hill is the pearl of Reykjavík. There have been planted over 176.000 trees there and now Öskjuhlíð is grown with trees and forest. Every day more and more icelanders and tourist decide to visit Öskjuhlíð. Here you can find traces of diverse geology in the second half of the ice age. During the last glacial period, there was a lot of landslides when the ice age glacier crawled over the country and you can see glaciers eroding glaciers, like whalebacks with glacial streaks. In the end of the ice age about 10.000 years ago, Öskuhlíð was a island. As proof, sea-rock boulders can be found at about 43 meters above sea level around the slope

The first district heating tank :
The first district heating tank was built in 1939 and it was obvious to have it on Öskjuhlíð at 61 meters above sea level. That height gives enough pressure to push water up to the tenth floor of a mansion that would be built at 38 meters above sea level, which is exactly the same height as the hill at Skólavörðuholt where Hallgrímskirkja stands. Hot water flowing from the bowels of the earth is today not only taken for granted in Iceland, but it is absolutely necessary.

All Exhibits :
Ice Cave - The Ice Cave is the first of its kind in the world. It is 100 meters long, built with over 350 tons of snow. As visitors wander through the Ice Cave, they experience a glacial environment in a safe and informative way.
Glacier Exhibit - A dramatic interactive exhibition provides insight into Icelandic glaciers, their bleak future and the effects of global warming. Guests learn about Iceland’s glaciers, their effect on the land and what will happen if, or when, they disappear. Guests are also introduced to the unusual lifeforms that live on glaciers.
Forces of Nature - In Forces of Nature guests will see, hear and feel the power of volcanoes, earthquakes and geothermal energy.
Geldingardalir - Lava Show - On 19 March 2021 a volcanic eruption started in the Geldingadalir valley at the Fagradalsfjall mountain on the Reykjanes peninsula. Again on August 3rd the eruption started again. We give guests 6 minutes insight into Geldingardalir eruption.
Látrabjarg - the Cliff - Látrabjarg, is one of the biggest seabird cliffs in Europe. At Perlan, a realistically rendered model of the cliff rises 10 meters, rich with bird and plant specimens. Visitors feel like they are at the base of the cliff looking straight up – a truly stunning view.
Virtual Fish Tank - Guests can explore Iceland’s oceanic wonders, in a Cinematic Underwater Journey, and watch in awe as whales’ swim below their feet. Interactive experiences mixed with captivating information and stories make this exhibit both fun and educational.
Water in Icelandic Nature - The exhibition will awaken interest and admiration for the nature of water and to inform about its wonders and importance for the future prosperity of society.
Iceland - Timeline - Iceland’s story begins 64 million years ago, and involves continual transformation and rebirth. It’s a story written in fossil records, geological formations, ancient myths and modern histories, and in the evolution of Iceland’s ever-changing mix of plants and animals.

Northern Lights - Arora, a beautiful story about Northern lights, voiced by the goddess of dawn. It’s a tale of many stories, combining science and art, to create a unique experience. We’re taking you from Reykjavik and into space, to dive fully into the mysterious auroras occurring all across the solar system

Observation Deck (360° Views over Reykjavík) - Access to the deck is included in all Museum Tickets at Perlan. Tickets for the deck only are sold at Perlan.

Vision, mission, and values :
Perlan – Wonders of Iceland aims to be a bridge between science and society.
We want to give back to society by entertain and educating both guests and employees about Icelandic nature, environmental protection, and sustainability. Our wish is to be a role model that inspires and leads the way to a healthier and fairer planet. Perlan - Wonders of Iceland core values are, Respect, Care, Entertainment, and Education. As a company, we operate on sustainable principles and consider the environmental and socio-cultural aspects of all decisions. As part of that, we priorities strengthening our relationship with local and international communities.

What we do
Nature protection :
All exhibitions at Perlan - Wonders of Iceland dedicates to showing our guests the beauty and importance of our natural resources. Inside our Nature Exploratorium, visitors learn about Icelandic geology, flora, and fauna, but also about the negative impact that Climate Change is having on our glaciers and why it is essential to protect them. In our basement, through an art installation, we raise awareness about Plastic Pollution and provide our visitors with ideas on how they can help tackle this issue. Some specific actions we do:
Refuse single-use plastic items
Reduce waste production, for example, by not printing unnecessary items
Reuse items as much as possible (paper, cardboard, etc.)
Recycle (sort out) our waste
Offer guests the possibility of compensating for the CO2 emissions of their trips to Iceland by buying trees that employees plants in the forest around Perlan
Offer a free shuttle bus service to encourage sustainable transportation
Collaborate with Flugavernd, bird protection NGO

Community :
Perlan - Wonders of Iceland wants to have a positive impact on the community, both local and international. We do our best to create partnerships with different entities to promote the sustainability and well-being of nature and people. We invite groups of school kids throughout the year and have a strong relationship with the University of Iceland. We support local events and forest clean-ups. We count with a great international team of employees and do our best to ensure their well-being, providing them with safety and emergency first response training and knowledge about environmental protection and sustainable tourism