eignasöfnum
Eignasöfnum is the Icelandic term for private collections, referring to collections of objects assembled and owned by individuals or private organizations rather than by public institutions. These collections can include art, antiquities, natural history specimens, books, archives, and other cultural, scientific, or personal items.
Private collectors acquire items through purchase, inheritance, donations, or bequests. The scope and focus of a
Legal and ethical considerations are central to many private collections. These include questions of ownership and
Access and scholarship are often enhanced when private collections engage with the public or the scholarly
Private collections are generally seen as complementary to public museums, offering preservation, expertise, and diverse material
See also: public collections, provenance research, curatorship, museum studies.