Listasavn Føroya
Listasavn Føroya is the main museum for Faroese art, with around 2,800 works from the 1830s to the present day, in Viðarlundin in Tórshavn.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Listasavn Føroya was formally established in 1989. The museum grew out of two collections: Listafelag Føroya, which Faroese students in Copenhagen founded in 1941 to collect Faroese art, and Føroya Almenna Listasavn, which the Løgting established in 1948. Both collections were merged in 1989 and handed over to the museum together with deeds of gift.
Since then the museum has grown through purchased and donated works, with support from Faroese and Danish foundations. Today it holds around 2,800 works, mostly paintings, but also graphic art, sculptures, installations and textiles. The oldest works date from the 1830s. The museum has the largest collection of works by Sámal Joensen-Mikines and several major works by other important Faroese artists.
The museum is in a black building in the northern part of Viðarlundin, surrounded by four bronze sculptures by Hans Pauli Olsen. The Art Pavilion from 1970 is the oldest part and is used for changing exhibitions. The extension from 1993 houses the permanent exhibition, the foyer and the offices. The black shingles and the many gables recall traditional Faroese sod houses. The museum receives public funding and its task is to collect, preserve and research Faroese visual art and to communicate it.
Highlights
- The largest collection of works by Sámal Joensen-Mikines
- Works made from Faroese horsehair
- A whale in life-size proportions made from 32,000 toy soldiers
- A room of glass and mirrors in which it appears to stretch 700 metres up and down
- Four bronze sculptures by Hans Pauli Olsen in Viðarlundin
- The permanent exhibition of Faroese art from the 1830s to today
Permanent exhibition
- Fasta framsýningin – Faroese art from the 1830s to the present day: landscapes, the sea, portraits, graphic art, textiles and contemporary art. The exhibition is on one level, without thresholds.
- Founded
- 1989
- Director
- Solveig Hanusardóttir Olsen
Admission & discounts
| Adults | DKK 110 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | DKK 90Pensioners |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 19 · Children and young people under 20 always have free access to the museum and to special exhibitions. |
| Seniors | DKK 90Pensioners |
| Students & apprentices | DKK 30Students |
| Groups (12+ people) | DKK 80 per personPer person; groups of at least 12 adults, if you pay together. |
| Annual pass for one person | DKK 220Valid for one year from the date of purchase. |
| Annual pass 1+1 | DKK 380Bring a friend for free. |
| Guided tour (weekdays, during opening hours) | DKK 1,000Must be booked in advance. The admission fee is additional. |
| Guided tour (weekends and public holidays) | DKK 1,500Must be booked in advance. The admission fee is additional. |
The annual pass gives free access to the museum all year, including guided tours, concerts and events, and a 10% discount in the shop and the café. The café, the shop and the children's tables can be used without a ticket. The price for a guided tour outside regular opening hours is agreed separately.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
From the Oman Viðarlund car park it is easy to reach the foyer with the café, the shop, toilets and ticket sales. The permanent exhibition is on one level, without thresholds or stairs. Walking frames and wheelchairs can be used, and light folding chairs can be taken into the exhibitions. A staircase leads down to the hall for special exhibitions; wheelchair users can use another entrance. Please contact reception for help.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 19 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
In the foyer there are tables with fun tasks for children and adults, and children and young people under 20 have free admission. The museum has an art colouring book for children.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Gundadalur
Bus no. 2 stops at the museum (stop Gundadalur). Most buses also stop at R. C. Effersøes gøta (Læknamiðstøðin), which is only 300 m from the museum.
By car
Parking available
A sign points to the museum's car park; the western entrance is by the Oman Viðarlund car park.
The museum is in Viðarlundin, about a 10-minute walk from the town centre of Tórshavn. Pedestrians come through the grove.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café
- Museum shop
- Wi-Fi
The café List in the foyer is open in the summer months, from June to August. From September to May it is possible to buy coffee and snacks. The café, the shop and the children's tables are open to everyone, including without a ticket. Free Wi-Fi in reception and in the café.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
- Private parties
- Corporate events
Up to 100 guests.
Individuals and companies can rent the museum for meetings, book launches, album releases and similar events. Reception has room for about 100 people, standing or seated; smaller events can take place in the exhibition halls. Food and drink can be ordered from Café List. The halls are not rented out for parties. Book at info@art.fo.
Inquiries & detailsPlan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Guided tours must be booked in advance at info@art.fo or on +298 22 35 79. For children, the tour goes round the museum on a story carpet. Groups and school classes are welcome; larger groups are asked to announce themselves in advance, and groups of more than 30 people are advised to split in two. |
