Within the Hornafjörður Cultural Center, there are the museums of the Municipality of Hornafjörður: the regional, maritime, and natural history museum, Svavarssafn- Art Museum, library and the district archives.

Svavarssafn – Art museum. Svavar Guðnason, an abstract painter, was born in Höfn in Hornafjörður in 1909. He is considered one of the most important painters in Iceland in the 20th century and was a radical member of the COBRA art group. The core of the art museum’s collection consists of works by Svavar. The museum also has works by other painters from Hornafjörður as well as others who have come here to work on their craft. The art museum holds at least three diverse exhibitions each year. The museum focuses on exhibiting Svavar Guðnason’s works during the summer.

Hornafjörður Cultural Center has an open exhibition at Verbúð (Fisherman’s hut) in Mikligarður. Mikligarður was built in the years 1919-1920. The house accommodated seven cabins, each of which accommodated two crews, a shed, and a warehouse. During the season, Mikligarður was home to about 150 people.  One fisherman’s hut has been restored to its original appearance and is on display for visitors.

In Gamlabúð is the Vatnajökull National Park Visitor Center. The house is the town’s oldest commercial building. It was originally a shopping center built in Papós in Lón in 1864. In the old shop, there is an educational exhibition about the nature of the area in a broad context, it discusses the impact of Vatnajökull on landscaping, wildlife, and vegetation, but also about the human life that has flourished in the vicinity of the glacier over the centuries.

Ten ideas for recreation in Southeast Iceland and the East Fjords:

1. Feast on fresh lobster in one of the restaurants in Höfn, ‘ ‘Iceland’s lobster capital.“
2. Try the outdoor hot tubs at Hoffell, near Höfn.
3. Book a reindeer sightseeing tour, birdwatching tour or another kind of wild nature experience.
4. Pay a visit to The Thorbergur Centre of Culture in Hali, dedicated to one of Iceland’s most prominent authors in the 20st century, Þórbergur Þórðarson (1888-1974)..
5. Learn about the fascinating history of Hans Jonatan, ‘ Iceland’s first Black settler in Djúpivogur, who escaped from slavery and became a valued member of the community.
6. Observe the outdoor artwork „Eggin í Gleðivík“ in Djúpivogur by Sigurður Guðmundsson, symbolizing the eggs of all the 34 different bird species that nest in the region.
7. Taste the beer brewed at micro-brewery Beljandi in Breiðdalsvík.
8. Also, stop at the waterfall Beljandi in Breiðdalsá river, after which the brewery is named.
9. The region is famous for colourful minerals; ‘Petra’s Stone Collection in Stöðvarfjörður has a fantastic variety of minerals on display.
10. Follow in the footsteps of French sailors who used to reside in Fáskrúðsfjörður fishing village and visit the beautifully renovated French hospital.

For more information and travel tips, go to www.vistitvatnajokull.is  or www.east.is