The Saga Museum history brought to life.
The first Norsemen came to Iceland in the last decades of the ninth century. Their arrival and settlement was part of a general expansion of Viking culture that spread to many other parts of Europe. We know from a historical account of the settlement that Ingólfur Arnarson was the first Norseman to come to Iceland and stay here for the remainder of his life. He sailed to the country with his wife Hallveig Fróðadóttir in 874 AD.
A VIKING AGE LONGHOUSE, dated to around 930 AD was found in
archaeological excavations in the centre of Reykjavík in 2001. The
ruins of the longhouse and a part of a man made structure – a turf
wall, probably part of field enclosure, have been preserved and are now
on display “on site”. These are the oldest archaeological findings in
Reykjavik. Also on display are objects from the Viking age found in
central Reykjavík and the island of Viðey.
FOR A SMALL NATION, Iceland has given birth to an incredible array of
artists. Their rich and continuing legacy is bursting with colour and
form, frequently evocative of a wild and beautiful homeland. Reykjavik
is a great place to drink in this inspirational aspect of Icelandic
life. The Reykjavik Art Museum is made up of three distinctive gallery
spaces, and free admission. More than just rainy-day places, these are
a must for a taste of Iceland’s heritage, magic and inimitable style.
In 2004 the National Museum of Iceland stood at a crossroads. The
museum reopened its doors after extensive refurbishment and a
modernised museum now offers a wide variety of services to its guests.
The museum hopes new, dynamic exhibition that fulfil all the modern
standards required of such an establishment, housing the nation´s
treasures.
Árbæjarsafn was an established farm well into the 20th century, and the
museum opened there in 1957. Arbaer is now an open air museum with more
than 20 buildings which form a town square, a village and a farm. Most
of the buildings have been relocated from central Reykjavík.
IN THE SOUTH there are several museums, old and new. We can start with
the Skogar Folk Museum which under the management and due to the unique
drive and interest of the remarkable Thordur Tomasson has managed to
become one of our most interesting museums.
EINAR JÓNSSON was Iceland´s first sculptor. He attended the
Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen from 1896 to 1899,
studying under Wilhelm Bissen and Theobald Stein. Jónsson laid the
foundation for Icelandic sculpture with his first publicly exhibited
work, "Outlaws," which was shown at the Spring Salon in Copenhagen in
1901.
THE ICELANDIC ARTIST
Jónas Bragi Jónasson has specialized in glass and making art from glass. „I have been interested in art and special glass art since I was child,“ says Jónas Bragi, „and I have never lost that interest“. Jónas studied at the Icelandic Academy of art and after graduating 1989 he went to England and Scotland to learn more. „I went back and forth to and from Iceland for a few years but settled down in 1996.“