National Museum of Iceland
National Museum of Iceland features on the Gingerguide audio walk through Reykjavík. Give it roughly ~60 min: enough to look, hear a two to three minute story on the spot, and ask the AI guide whatever the story leaves open.
- Type museum
- Suggested visit ~60 min
- Reykjavík Reykjavík guide
About National Museum of Iceland
Iceland's national museum lays out a thousand years in one long room, from Settlement-age relics to a medieval carved door, telling the whole story of how a nation was made.
The National Museum of Iceland (Þjóðminjasafn Íslands) was established on 24 February 1863, with the folklorist Jón Árnason as first curator of a collection that had previously been kept in Danish museums. Known as the Antiquarian Collection until 1911, it was housed in various Reykjavík attics, including that of the Culture House for forty years, before moving to its present building at Suðurgata 41 in 1950, beside the University of Iceland.
Its permanent exhibition, 'Making of a Nation', traces the history of the Icelandic people from the Settlement to the present through about two thousand objects. Among its treasures is the Valþjófsstaður door, a celebrated medieval carving depicting the Lion-Knight legend, in which a knight slays a dragon and frees a lion that becomes his companion. Audioguides are offered in ten languages, and admission is free for children under eighteen and for people with disabilities.
Did you know? Founded in 1863 as the Antiquarian Collection, the museum took its present name only in 1911. Much of its holdings had until then been kept in Danish museums, far from the nation they belonged to.
How long is a visit to National Museum of Iceland?
Set aside roughly ~60 min for National Museum of Iceland. That covers a good look and the narrated story, and because you set the pace you can always stay on.
Is National Museum of Iceland worth your time?
National Museum of Iceland is among the 18 narrated highlights the Gingerguide team chose for Reykjavík, so it is worth a look. Hear the story for the context, then ask the AI guide for anything more.
Nearby stops in Reykjavík
Sources and further reading
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Hear the story of National Museum of Iceland
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