Knud Rasmussen Museum

"A smaller museum with a lot of information about local culture and the history of the place. Besides anything else, you will also learn a lot about Knud Rasmussen, an explorer that helped to unite the country. This part was especially interesting for me.
As other places in Ilulissat, you need to leave your outside shoes in the dressing room."

Jana Krištanová

"Ilulissat, Greenland's third-largest town (~4,500 residents), embodies a unique Arctic way of life shaped by its dramatic environment, ancient Inuit heritage, and modern challenges. For over 4,000 years, the Ilulissat area has been inhabited by Indigenous cultures like the Saqqaq, Dorset, and Thule peoples, who thrived on hunting seals, whales, and fishing in the nutrient-rich Disko Bay. Today, Greenlandic Inuit traditions persist through dog sledding (though declining due to climate change), kaffemik gatherings (community coffee rituals), and vibrant artisan crafts like tupilak carvings.

Fishing remains the economic backbone, with halibut and cod processing central to the local industry. Climate change has paradoxically boosted catches by extending boat-fishing seasons year-round, yet threatens traditional ice-based hunting. Tourism thrives around the UNESCO-listed Icefjord, offering iceberg cruises, dog sledding, and Northern Lights tours, supporting many livelihoods.

Rapid warming is reshaping daily life.  Declining sea ice has reduced sled dog numbers from 5,000 to 1,800 in two decades, limiting winter mobility.  The Jakobshavn Glacier’s retreat (calving 20 billion tons of ice annually) fuels both economic opportunities and existential concerns, symbolizing global sea-level rise.  Locals report unpredictable weather, with increased rain altering hunting/fishing patterns.

Ilulissat blends colorful wooden houses, bustling fish markets ("brættet"), and sites like the Icefjord Centre, which merges climate science with Inuit history. Despite globalization, communal values endure, emphasizing resilience amid environmental flux.  In essence, Ilulissat’s way of life balances deep cultural continuity with adaptive innovation in one of Earth’s most dynamic landscapes."

Weaning Ping

"I visited this museum with high hopes, especially given the very affordable entrance fee. The second floor was a highlight — it features a genuinely fascinating and well-told story about the building of a traditional kayak. It was immersive, respectful, and insightful.

Unfortunately, the experience was heavily overshadowed by the first floor. The exhibitions there are shockingly colonialist in tone, with narratives that are outdated, offensive, and demeaning. The displays present Indigenous peoples as inferior or “backward,” perpetuating the disturbing and discredited idea that the West “saved” or “civilized” them. It’s disappointing and frankly disturbing to see such a mindset still being displayed without critical reflection or historical context.

Overall, while the second floor is worth seeing, I left with a sense of frustration and disappointment. This museum urgently needs to rethink and revise its presentation of history — especially in how it portrays Indigenous cultures."

Valerie Gloth