In 2001 archaeological remains were excavated in Aðalstræti, which turned out to be the oldest relics of human habitation in Reykjavík, with some of the fragments found dating to before 871 AD.
During the excavation, a longhouse from the tenth century was also discovered. The hall and a wall fragment are now both carefully preserved at their original location and form the focal point of The Settlement Exhibition, a fascinating exhibition about life in Viking times.
As part of the exhibition the construction of Viking Age buildings is explained using multimedia technology to provide an insight of what life was like at the time of the first settlers in Iceland. Exhibits also include artefacts from archaeological excavations in central Reykjavík.
