Bjarnarhofn is a working family farm on the northern side of the Snaefellsnes peninsula in West Iceland, roughly a 20-minute drive from Stykkisholmur. The family has worked with Greenland shark for around four centuries across generations. The museum focuses on hakarl, the traditional Icelandic food made from Greenland shark using centuries-old curing methods.

What the Bjarnarhofn Shark Museum is

Bjarnarhofn combines a working family farm with a small museum focused on Greenland shark and hakarl. The farm sits on the northern side of the Snaefellsnes peninsula in West Iceland, roughly a 20-minute drive from Stykkisholmur.

The family at Bjarnarhofn has worked with Greenland shark for around four centuries across generations. That long connection is central to the museum's subject matter and to the food tradition presented there.

Why fresh Greenland shark is poisonous

Fresh Greenland shark meat is poisonous because it has high urea and trimethylamine oxide content. That is why the meat must be cured before it is eaten.

Hakarl is the cured form of Greenland shark, prepared using centuries-old Icelandic methods.

How hakarl is made: fermenting and drying

The process starts after the shark is gutted and beheaded. It is then placed in a shallow hole with sand and gravel and pressed.

The shark ferments in that shallow hole for six to twelve weeks depending on the season, and fluids drain during this stage. After fermentation, the shark is cut into strips and hung to dry for several months.

As it dries, a brown outer crust forms. That crust is removed before the shark is cut into pieces to serve.

Inside the museum: farming and fishing heritage

The museum displays historical fishing and farming artefacts, tools, bones, and a drying shed. Its collection connects the farm's daily work with older fishing and food-processing practices.

Visitors can also learn about the biology and habits of the Greenland shark, along with the seafarers who hunted it.

Tasting hakarl and Brennivin

A visit typically ends with a tasting of a small cube of hakarl. The tasting is traditionally accompanied by a shot of the Icelandic schnapps Brennivin.

Visiting Bjarnarhofn on a Snaefellsnes tour

Bjarnarhofn lies roughly a 20-minute drive from the town of Stykkisholmur. If you want to compare options in the area, see Snaefellsnes tours.

Plan the journey

The Driving Distance Calculator can help you sequence Bjarnarhofn Shark Museum: hakarl at the source with nearby sights without overfilling the day.