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Museum · Ilulissat, Avannaata
Ilulissat Museum
A red house from 1848 where polar explorer Knud Rasmussen was born, now the town museum. It tells his life, Arctic expeditions and the history of Ilulissat and Sermermiut.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Discover
About Ilulissat Museum
The town museum occupies a red wooden house from 1848, near the harbor, which was the first teacher training school in northern Greenland. Knud Rasmussen, the son of the town’s pastor and a mother with Inuit roots, was born there in 1879.
Rasmussen grew up speaking Greenlandic, learned to drive dog sleds and became one of the best-known polar explorers. His expeditions crossed northern Greenland and the Arctic regions of Canada and Alaska, recording the language, stories and way of life of Inuit peoples.
The rooms tell the story of his life and other expeditions, the town’s history—then called Jakobshavn during the colonial era—and the past of Sermermiut, the large ancient settlement beside the fjord. There are tools, clothing, sleds and old photographs.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
About an hour.
Best time
At any time of year, as a break between hikes and boat trips. Winter opening hours are shorter: check in advance.
How to get there
It’s in central Ilulissat, a few minutes’ walk from the harbor.
Tip
After your visit, stop by the wooden Zion Church at the tip of the bay, next to where icebergs often run aground.
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Ilulissat Museum
Who was Knud Rasmussen?
A polar explorer born in Ilulissat in 1879, who travelled across northern Greenland and the Arctic of Canada and Alaska and documented the culture of Inuit peoples.
What can you see at the Ilulissat Museum?
The house where Knud Rasmussen was born, objects and photographs from polar expeditions, the history of the town and Sermermiut, and traditional tools and clothing.
Is the Ilulissat Museum open year-round?
Yes, but opening hours vary between summer and winter. Check before you go.