The Icelandic Museum of the Penis

After gazing at the shirtless, muscular men at the Milwaukee Museum of Beefcake, the phallic giant of Brugge, or the many public penises of Prague,  why not visit a museum dedicated solely and exclusively to the wonders of the penis?

Iceland may be off the beaten path for most tourists (you can get to Japan and India cheaper), but there are lots of reasons to go: glaciers, hot springs, Old Norse heritage, gay-friendly people.

And the Museum of the Penis, AKA the Icelandic Phallological Museum.




The project of history professor Sigurthur Hjartarson, who spent his life collecting exotic penises, it was housed first in Rejkavik, then in the small fishing village of Husavik, and in 2012 back to Rejkavik, under the administration of Hjartarson's son.

There are 293 specimens from 93 species, every mammal in Iceland -- bears, seals, reindeer, dogs, moose, seals, rats, bulls.  Also a few non-native mammals, like lions and elephants.

The smallest (from a hamster) is less than 1/10th of an inch long, and the largest 5 feet (part of a great blue whale's penis; the whole thing would extend 15 feet).




Only three human penises -- it's hard to get donors, and to preserve them properly -- but lots from mythological creatures like mermen, 'beach murmurers," ghosts, trolls (left), and Christmas lads.

Trolls turn to stone in daylight, so of course the troll penis is stone.

The elf penis is very long, but since elves cannot be seen, it is invisible.


And there's a sizeable collection of (human) phallic art, penises in all sizes and shapes, from lamps to pacifiers, and penis paintings, like the circumcision of Christ (by the way, in the Middle Ages, Christ's foreskin was sold as a holy relic all across Europe).

It's located on Laugavegur 116, a block from the popular gay bar Kjallarinn.

If you can't make it to Iceland, visit their online store, where you can buy phallic mugs, baseball caps, bottle openers, designer condoms, and "ball scratchers."