The Leader Sheep Centre in Þistilfjörður North-Iceland is unique. It is impossible to find a similar museum as Iceland is the only country in the world where Leader Sheep exists. The leadership-sheep breed and Icelandic sheep-herding have been joined by unbreakable bonds since the beginning of settlement in Iceland. They are known best for their leadership characteristics. The Leader Sheep …
The Herring Era Museum
The Herring Era Museum is the largest maritime museum in Iceland, with five exhibition buildings, 2500 square meters in total. Róaldsbrakki, a former Norwegian salting station was built in 1907. The ‘brakki’ in itself is a grand monument to the Norwegian influence in the Icelandic herring industry. On the ground floor there is an exhibition focused on fishing and salting …
Icelandic Emigration Center
The Icelandic Emigration Center in the village Hofsós was founded in 1996 to honour Icelanders who immigrated to North America between 1850 and 1914. The goal of the center is to tell the story of the people who left and strengthen the ties between their descendants and their relatives in Iceland. The Emigration Center offers four exhibitions in three buildings …
Hólar in Hjaltadalur
Hólar in Hjaltadalur is a historic place, surrounded by majestic mountains. The site is one of the main centers of culture and education in Iceland for nearly a thousand years. There was a bishop’s seat from 1106 to 1798. There you can find both the University of Hólar and the Hólar Cathedral, which is the oldest stone church in Iceland …
Laufás Turf Farm
The old turf farm Laufás, on the east coast of Eyjafjörður, is part of the National Museum’s collection of buildings but managed by the Akureyri Museum. There, visitors can learn about traditional Icelandic architecture and country life. The oldest part of the farm dates back to the 16th century, but the current interior has been maintained since the early 1800s. …
Akureyri Museum
The Akureyri Museum is located in a historic building in the oldest part of Akureyri. Outside is an old country church in a beautiful ornamental garden. Various exhibitions are held at the museum to shed light on the town’s history, including its musical heritage. The former homes of the children’s book author and priest Jón Sveinsson (Nonni) and the national …
Sauðanes House
The old stone house at Sauðanes (Sauðaneshús) is an old church estate 7 km north of the village Þórshöfn. The vicarage, which was built in 1879 from grey basalt which originated far from the area, is the region’s oldest stone house. Today it houses an exhibition showcasing how life was in Langanes during the time when Sauðaneshús was inhabited and …
Snartarstaðir Folk Museum
Snartarstaðir, close to the village Kópasker, is the folk museum of Norður – Þingeyjarsýsla county and presents a unique collection of local objects and handicrafts from the 19th and 20th centuries. The exhibition is characterized by two different collections; one is the large amount of all sorts of handicrafts, embroidery, woven items, knitted clothing, and other handicrafts, and the other …
Grenjaðarstaður Turf Farm
It’s a unique experience for people of all ages to walk around one of the largest turf farms in the country, Grenjaðarstaður in Aðaldalur. Here, visitors can observe old objects and imagine what life on a traditional Icelandic farm life was like. Grenjaðarstaður is an ancient manor, church site and pastorage. It even served as a post office. The oldest …
Húsavík Museum
The Þingeyjarsýsla County Culture Center encompasses four different but equally fascinating museums. Husavik Museum (Safnahúsið) has two permanent exhibitions. In the Maritime Museum old boats and tools are on display and visitors can watch a documentary to gain insight into the lives and work of fishermen in centuries past. The second one, “Man and Nature – 100 years in Þingeyjarsýslur”, …
Kakalaskáli in Skagafjörður
Experience the Age of the Sturlungs through the history and art exhibition in Kakalaskáli in Skagafjörður. The so-called Age of the Sturlungs was a period of repeated armed struggles between the main ruling clans in Iceland who fought for power. Travel back to the civil war in 13th century Iceland and picture the ruling clans clashing at Haugsnes in North Iceland …
Museum of Prophecies
What does the future behold? Have your fortune told at the Museum of Prophecies in Skagaströnd in Northwest Iceland and learn about Þórdís the fortune-teller, the place’s first named inhabitant. Þórdís was not only known for her supernatural abilities, but she was also the foster mother of Þorvaldur the far traveller, Iceland’s first missionary, and her name appears in a …
Vatnsdaela Saga Tapestry
As one of the Icelandic sagas, Vatnsdaela saga, a story of love and struggle, is the family story of Hofverjar in Vatnsdalur near Blönduós and takes place in the 9th–11th century. It is mainly set in Vatnsdalur and the surrounding area but also takes place in Norway, Sweden, the Orkneys and Scotland. It is believed to have been written in …
Glaumbær Museum
According to sources, a farm has existed on the land of Glaumbær since the Age of Settlement around 900 AD. One of its most famous residents was Snorri Þorfinnsson, the first European to be born in North America, around 1000. The present buildings vary in age; the most recent addition was built 1876-79 and the oldest in the mid-18th century. …
1238: The Battle of Iceland
Visit 1238 – The Battle of Iceland Virtual and Augmented Reality Museum, and participate in the largest battle in Iceland’s history. Step into history and participate in the Battle of Örlygsstaðir immersive exhibition that takes you through some dramatic and violent Icelandic Sagas in a new and exciting way! The VR museum is located in Sauðárkrókur in North Iceland, close …