Minjastofnun

Minjastofnun, commonly referred to as the Museum of Antiquities, is a public museum in Iceland dedicated to archaeology and the preservation of ancient cultural heritage. It serves as a national repository for archaeological finds and functions as a center for research, curation, and public education about Iceland’s past.

Location and governance: The museum is based in Reykjavik and operates under the national cultural heritage system of Iceland, receiving government support and collaborating with universities and research institutes to set priorities and advance scholarship.

Collections: The museum’s holdings come from Icelandic sites dating from the settlement period through the medieval era. Its artifacts include stone and metal tools, weapons, jewelry, pottery, bone and antler objects, architectural fragments, inscriptions, and manuscripts significant to Icelandic history. The collection also contains environmental and faunal remains used for archaeological analysis and interpretation.

Exhibitions and programs: Minjastofnun presents permanent galleries that trace daily life, economy, and social structures in early Iceland, alongside temporary exhibitions on topics such as Viking-age trade, immigration, and preservation methods. The museum operates education programs for schools, guided tours, lectures, and public outreach activities to promote understanding of the past.

Conservation and research: The institution maintains conservation laboratories, undertakes fieldwork in collaboration with universities, and publishes catalogs and reports. It aims to make its holdings accessible through loans to other institutions and through digitization and online catalogs.

Facilities and accessibility: The museum offers visitor services, research facilities for scholars, and digital resources, with ongoing efforts to ensure accessibility for visitors with mobility impairments and multilingual information.