Penis Museum in Iceland

Posted in articles by Deana Williams on May 26th, 2008

A German, an American, an Icelander and a Briton have promised to donate their penis to the Icelandic Phallological Museum after death, according to certificates on display.

The museum, which began in 1974 with a single bull’s penis that looked something like a riding crop, boasts 261 preserved members from 90 species.

The largest, from a sperm whale, is 70 kg and 1.7 metres long. The smallest, a hamster penis bone, is just 2mm and must be viewed through a magnifying glass.

One species conspicuous by its absence is homo sapiens, until the four donors contacted museum owner Sigurdur Hjartarson.

The American donor, 52-year-old Stan Underwood, supplied a written description of his penis – which he nick-named “Elmo” – for display alongside a life-size plastic mould of the member as well as his pledge to donate it.

Mr Hjartarson said the Icelandic donor, a 93-year-old from nearby Akureyri, was a womanizer in his youth who thought having his penis in the collection might bring him eternal fame.

“He has mentioned lately that his penis is shrinking as he gets older and he is worried it might not make a proper exhibit,” said Mr Hjartarson.

The museum, originally opened in Reykjavik in 1997, has now moved to the quiet fishing village of Husavik, 480 km northeast of the capital.

Open from May to September, it is housed in a plain brown building, the entrance marked by a tall brown phallus near the door and a penis-shaped sign over the front porch.

A growing number of people from all over the world view the collection each year, 60 per cent of them women.

Would you like to donate your penis? : )