What are the opening hours?

Opening hours vary seasonally. Most museums have longer hours in summer (June-August) and reduced hours in winter.

Is the museum suitable for children?

Most Icelandic museums welcome families. Many have interactive exhibits and special programs for children.

Are guided tours available?

Many museums offer guided tours, audio guides, or informational materials in multiple languages.

Iceland/westfjords

Museum of Icelandic Sorcery and Witchcraft

Iceland's most unusual museum — exploring its dark history of 17th-century sorcery trials.

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At a Glance

Visit time

1-2 hours

Best season

Year-round; check seasonal opening hours

Access

Located in towns with easy access. Most are wheelchair accessible.

GPS

65.7069, -21.6793

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About

About Museum of Icelandic Sorcery and Witchcraft

Iceland's most unusual museum — exploring its dark history of 17th-century sorcery trials.

Nowhere else can you see actual grimoires (spell books), sorcery staves and the infamous 'Nábrók' — trousers made from a dead man's skin, believed to bring endless wealth.

Background

History & Background

Museum of Icelandic Sorcery and Witchcraft has been a significant site in Iceland's landscape. Throughout the years, this location has played an important role in Icelandic culture and natural history.

This museum in Hólmavík explores Iceland's history of sorcery, superstition, and folklore. Through unusual artifacts and detailed stories, visitors learn about magical practices from past centuries. It is one of the most unique and slightly eerie museums in Iceland, offering a completely different perspective on the country's cultural history.

Folklore

Story & Folklore

Galdrasafnið á Hólmavík is one of those rare museums that genuinely shocks and fascinates in equal measure. Housed in a small fishing village on the Strandir coast of the Westfjords, the collection documents 17th-century Icelandic witchcraft — not the fantasy kind, but the real, terrifying historical kind. Original grimoires filled with rune-like magical staves, dried herbs and animal parts used in spells, and the full story of how fear and religious anxiety led to executions by burning. The 'Nábrók' — a replica of the most feared magical object in Iceland — is displayed with grim seriousness. Not for the faint-hearted.

💡 Did You Know?

Between 1604 and 1720, Iceland executed 22 people for witchcraft — 20 of them men, which is the opposite of most European witch trials. Sexual anxiety about male identity drove the prosecutions.

Local Legend

Legends of Museum of Icelandic Sorcery & Witchcraft

Museum of Icelandic Sorcery & Witchcraft has been part of Icelandic folklore for generations. Local tales speak of hidden people (huldufólk) and other supernatural beings who inhabit the area. According to tradition, this place deserves respect and visitors should be mindful of the ancient spirits who call it home.

Experiences

Tours Near Museum of Icelandic Sorcery and Witchcraft

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Culture

Stories & Legends

Icelandic sagas and folklore from this area

icelandic saga

Hrófá

Hrófá is a historic location in Iceland mentioned in "Fóstbræðra saga", one of the ancient Íslendingasögur (Sagas of Icelanders). These medieval narratives preserve the history of Iceland's Viking Age settlement.

icelandic saga

Skeljavík

Skeljavík is a historic location in Iceland mentioned in "Gísla saga Súrssonar, Gunnlaugs saga ormstungu", one of the ancient Íslendingasögur (Sagas of Icelanders). These medieval narratives preserve the history of Iceland's Viking Age settlement.

icelandic saga

Hólmavík – Museum of Sorcery & Witchcraft

The Museum of Icelandic Sorcery and Witchcraft in the Westfjords — Iceland's centre of 17th century witch trials, with displays including stave magic and the notorious Nábrók (necropants).

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