The Textile Museum in Blönduós exhibits a unique collection of homemade wool and textile, beautiful Icelandic national costumes and artistic embroideries along with many of the tools and equipments used to produce them. It was founded by the Women’s Union in the area. Today, it is situated in a beautiful new building and the exhibitions are easily accessible for visitors. …
Gljúfrasteinn – Laxness Museum
Halldór Laxness (1902-1998), winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1955, stands head and shoulders above the other Icelandic writers of the 20th century. He was prolific during his long career, writing 13 major novels, five plays and a dramatisation of one of his novels, not to mention his collections of short stories, essays and memoirs. His books have …
Akranes Folk Museum
Akranes Folk Museum opened the doors to a new and renovated exhibition in the spring of 2021 and was the exhibition nominated for the Icelandic Museum Awards 2022. The exhibition discovers everyday life in Akranes and Hvalfjarðarsveit and the development from a farmers and fishing village in the 17th century to a modern day society in the 21st century. The exhibition …
The Sheep Farming Museum
The Sheep Farming Museum (established in 2002), just 12 km south of Hólmavík, is an interesting and entertaining exhibition about the Icelandic sheep and sheep farming. The exhibition focuses on providing diverse entertainment for all ages. The children can enjoy themselves in their own room, in which are toys and colour books, while the grown-ups can view the exhibition. The …
EDDA – Manuscript exhibition
The Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies (Árnastofnun) is an independently funded academic research institute at the University of Iceland, operating under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture and Business Affairs. Its role is to conduct research in the field of Icelandic studies and related scholarly disciplines, in particular, Icelandic language and literature; to disseminate knowledge in these fields; …
Bustarfell Museum
In the beautiful valley, Hofsárdalur, stands the old family seat of Bustarfell. This sod farm, with its red poles and grassy roof, is one of the oldest and best preserved turf house of its kind in Iceland. In 1532, Árni Brandsson and his wife Úlfheiður bought Bustarfell. Since then, the same family has lived there all along. Emphasis is placed …
Jón Sigurðsson Museum
Located in the stunning Arnarfjörður in the West Fjords, Hrafnseyri celebrates the life and work of Jón Sigurðsson (1811-1879), the leader of the 19th century Icelandic Independence movement, who was born and raised at the farm. In 2011, on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of Jon’s birth, a new exhibition, “For the Good of the Nation – Jón Sigurðsson …
Westfjords Heritage Museum
The Westfjords Heritage Museum is situated at the tip of the small spit on which the town of Ísafjörður is located. The museum building is one of four 18th century houses that have been renovated and are now amongst the town’s biggest tourist attritions. The town of Ísafjörður was established and based on the fishing industry; therefore it is only …
Rimmugýgur Viking Club
Rimmugýgur is a club for people who are interested in the culture and battle skills of the Vikings. Is is the biggest Viking club in Iceland, established in the year 1997. They practice and prepare during the winter and tour festivals in Iceland and abroad during the summer. The club’s own festival in Hafnarfjörður is usually held in mid-June. In …
Agricultural Museum of Iceland
In Hvanneyri, the heart of the Borgarfjörður countryside, you’ll find the Agricultural Museum of Iceland. This is the perfect place to learn about the Icelandic agriculture’s significant history, observe old tools and equipment, and think about farming’s future developments. The museum puts particular emphasis on the early technological era. Among its most notable objects are tools used in Iceland’s first …
Árbær Open Air Museum
Árbær Open Air Museum in Reykjavík is a museum with about 20 houses from different periods, including the old turf farm Árbær. Together, they form a village and countryside. Visitors learn how Reykjavík developed from a few scattered farms into the capital of Iceland. They can walk around the village and enter the old houses for an insight into the …
Reykjavík Maritime Museum
The Reykjavík Maritime Museum bears witness to the importance of fishing in Icelandic history; the museum building used to be a thriving fish factory. The new permanent and recent exhibition, “Fish & Folk – 150 years of fisheries,” covers fishing off Iceland since rowboats were replaced by large fishing vessels in the last decades of the 19th century and the …
National Museum of Iceland
The curious displays at the National Museum of Iceland captivate visitors of all ages. The secrets of the past will open up to you through the compelling stories told at the National Museum of Iceland. The permanent exhibition at the National Museum, “Making of a Nation – Heritage and History in Iceland”, is conceived as a journey through time and …
Duus Museum
The Duus Museum Hub consists of a series of buildings that reflect the rich history and culture of the area. The oldest building, Bryggjuhúsið (The Pier House), was constructed by Duus Trading Company in 1877, while the newest building dates back to 1954. These former trading and fish processing houses have been renovated and now host exhibition spaces for the …
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 …
Skriðuklaustur Cultural Center
The drive along Fljótsdalur (“river valley”) is a bit like travelling back in time. Skriðuklaustur in Fljótsdalur valley is a historical site with the ruins of a 16th century monastery which was revealed in an archaeological excavation in the years 2002-2012. It was an Augustinian cloister, established around 1493 and in function until the reformation in 1550. The cloister was …
East Iceland Heritage Museum
Since reindeer were imported to Iceland in the late 18th century, they have lived wild in East Iceland and significantly impacted the region’s nature and culture. The exhibition in East Iceland Heritage Museum, “Reindeer in East Iceland”, covers their habitat, biology, behaviour, life-cycle and the hazards they face, as well as research, hunting and reindeer products. Visitors can also watch …
Sagnheimar, Westman Islands
Sagnheimar is a complex of museums scattered around town, including a folk museum and natural history museum. Inside the folk museum there is a pier where visitors can listen to stories of sea accidents, search and rescue, sailor songs, and observe a bait shed and a bird hunters’ hut. The museum gives a good insight into the unique history of …
Hornafjörður Museums
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 …
Thorbergur Museum in Hali
The Thorbergur Museum (Þórbergssetur) is dedicated to one of Iceland’s most prominent authors in the 20st century, Þórbergur Þórðarson (1888-1974). The centre is dedicated to his life and work, is easily recognizable due to the gigantic books that adorn one of its outside walls. It’s an adventurous place to visit for travellers of all ages. In addition to providing an …
Skógar Museum
Skógar Museum actually includes three museum: Folk Museum, Open Air Museum and Technical Museum. The Open Air Museum has a large site, which includes examples of many periods of Icelandic architectural history. It´s forming a village, including an ancient turf farm, a school from the early 20th century and other historic houses. The diverse exhibitions inside the Folk Museum help visitors …
Árnessýsla Heritage Museum
History comes to life at Árnessýsla Heritage Museum’s diverse exhibitions in Eyrarbakki, Southwest Iceland. The Museum is made up of different historical houses which tell the story of Eyrarbakki’s inhabitants. Eyrarbakki is on the edge of the Golden Circle. Húsið, or “The House,” earned this simple title because when it was constructed in 1765, it towered above the surrounding huts …
The Settlement Center
The Settlement Center in Borgarnes takes visitors on a magical journey through Egil’s saga and the story of Iceland’s settlement; two interesting exhibitions. The Egil´s exhibition is dedicated to Egill Skallagrímsson, poet, warrior, and one of the Icelandic sagas’ most colorful characters in the 10th century. The exhibition takes visitors through the magical and mythical storyline of Egil’s saga. Scenes …
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. …