Shield volcano are cave-like volcanic straights formed by the hardening of overlaying lava. These structures help further the propagation of lava, as the walls of the tube insulates the lava within. Lava tubes can account for a large portion of shield volcano activity; for example, an estimated 58% of the lava forming Kīlauea comes from lava tubes. In some shield volcano eruptions, basaltic lava pours out of a long fissure instead of a central vent, and shrouds the countryside with a long band of volcanic material in the form of a broad plateau. Plateaus of this type exist in Iceland, Washington, Oregon,
Volcano House, Iceland Opal, Obsidian, Rock crystal and Iceland spar. Volcano House offers guidance and information throughout the exhibit. The interior design of the exhibition is meant to look like it's from 1973 which is the year when the volcanic eruption in Heimaey in the Westman Islands occurred. The Volcano House cinema presents two documentaries covering two of the most powerful volcanic eruptions that have occurred in Iceland over the last 40 years - the 1973 eruption in Heimaey on the Westman Islands, and the 2010 eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in South Iceland. The documentaries are exclusively made for Volcano House and can not