Safnahúsið

Museum House (formerly the Culture House)

The exhibition Points of view at the Culture House (Safnahúsið) gives visitors the chance to delve into the collections of six different cultural institutions. Points of view is a unique journey through Iceland's visual legacy, offering an innovative guide to a nation's cultural history.

The exhibition is a collaboration between Iceland's three leading museums in their respective fields – the National Museum of Iceland, National Gallery of Iceland and Natural History Museum – and the National Archives of Iceland, National and University Library of Iceland, and Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies. It is located at Hverfisgata 15 in a building which was constructed to house the National Library and which at one time also housed a number of other museums. The curator of Points of view is Markús Þór Andrésson. The Culture House is part of the National Museum of Iceland since 2013. The director is Margrét Hallgrímsdóttir.

Building

Safnahúsið was constructed in 1906–08 to a design by the Danish architect Johannes Magdahl Nielsen, to house the National Library (now combined with the library of the University of Iceland to form the National and University Library of Iceland) and the National Archives. The façade is decorated with crests bearing the names of literary figures.[1] It was originally to be built of dolerite, like the parliament house, and to have a copper roof, but this was judged to be too expensive so the building was instead constructed of concrete with an iron roof.[2] It was at the time one of the largest and finest buildings in the country.[3]

Former uses

The National Library, which had been in the parliament building since 1881, moved into the building in 1909 and was housed there until 1994, when it was combined with the university library and moved into a new building.[3]

The National Archives, which had been in the parliament building since 1900, moved into the building in 1909 and were housed there until 1987.[4]

The Museum of Antiquities, later renamed the National Museum of Iceland, moved into the building in 1908; it had previously been housed in various locations including Reykjavík Cathedral and the parliament building. It moved to its own building in 1950.[5]

The Natural History Museum of Iceland also moved into the building in 1908. It was closed in 1960 because of lack of space and reopened in 1967 at a temporary location.[6] The building was renamed the Culture House and has since hosted a variety of exhibits. An exhibit by the National and University Library opened in 2000, an exhibit of manuscripts from the Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies opened in 2002,[7][8][9] and the National Museum has mounted exhibitions there.[10] In 2009 there was a temporary exhibition of photographs by the novelist Halldór Laxness,[11] during Hönnunarmars (Design March) in 2014, Sigríður Rún Kristinsdóttir gave a workshop titled "Anatomy of Letters",[12] and in 2012 French artist Anne Herzog showed Islande-Isräel there.[13]

In spring 2012, the former reading room served as the court room for the trial of former Prime Minister Geir Haarde by the Landsdómur on charges of misconduct while in office.[14][15]

Current uses


The exhibition Points gives visitors the chance to delve into the collections of six different cultural institutions. Points of view is a unique journey through Iceland's visual legacy, offering an innovative guide to a nation's cultural history.

The exhibition is a collaboration between Iceland's three leading museums in their respective fields – the National Museum of Iceland, National Gallery of Iceland and Natural History Museum – and the National Archives of Iceland, National and University Library of Iceland, and Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies. The Culture House is part of The National Museum of Iceland.

References

  1. ↑ "Þjóðmenningarhúsið (National Cultural House) Review", Fodor's Travel, updated 12 December 2012.
  2. ↑ "Landsbókasafnið nýja", Ísafold, 27 September 1906, p. 309 (Icelandic)
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Saga", National and University Library of Iceland, retrieved 22 April 2014 (Icelandic)
  4. ↑ "Um safnið", National Archives of Iceland, retrieved 22 April 2014 (Icelandic)
  5. ↑ Inga María Leifsdóttir, "Hin veglega morgungjöf", Morgunblaðið, 28 August 2004 (Icelandic)
  6. ↑ "Náttúrugripasafnið í Reykjavík", Hið íslenska náttúrufræðifélag, pp. 1–3 (pdf) (Icelandic)
  7. ↑ "Þjóðmenningarhúsið", Lonely Planet.com, retrieved 22 April 2014.
  8. ↑ Mike Powell, "Þjóðmenningarhúsið: The Culture House", Iceland for 91 Days, 6 September 2013.
  9. ↑ "Isländische Manuskripte sind UNESCO- Weltdokumentenerbe", Iceland Review, 6 August 2009, updated 30 January 2014 (German)
  10. ↑ "Um Safnahúsið", National Museum of Iceland, retrieved 22 April 2014 (Icelandic)
  11. ↑ "Images by Halldór Laxness", Iceland Review, 18 June 2008, updated 30 January 2014.
  12. ↑ Katharina Hauptmann, "DesignMarch '14: My picks", Views, Iceland Review, 20 March 2014.
  13. ↑ "Iceland-Israel art exhibit opens in Reykjavik Culture House", IcelandPulse, Iceland News, 7 March 2012.
  14. ↑ "Geir H. Haarde sakfelldur fyrir einn ákærulið – Ekki gerð refsing", Pressan, 23 April 2012 (Icelandic)
  15. ↑ "Fagna því að leggja eigi Landsdóm niður", Morgunblaðið, 1 July 2013 (Icelandic)

External links

Coordinates: 64°08′51″N 21°55′56″W / 64.147419°N 21.932283°W