Listasafn Árnesinga

About the museum

Listasafn Árnesinga (Art Museum of Árnessýsla) has its roots in generous gifts. Between 1963 and 1986 Mrs Bjarnveig Bjarnadóttir and her sons, Bjarni Markús and Loftur Jóhannesson, gave the people of Árnessýsla just over seventy artworks by the leading artists of the time, including nineteen works by Ásgrímur Jónsson. In 1969 Halldór Einarsson announced that he wanted to give his birthplace his collection of wood carvings, sculptures and drawings, and this led to the building of an art museum house for both donations.

The museum is owned by the Regional Council of Árnessýsla (Héraðsnefnd Árnesinga), of which all municipalities in Árnessýsla are members. It was at the time the first art museum outside the capital region to be opened to the public, and in 2018 it received the Icelandic Museum Awards for outstanding activity.

Today the museum mounts varied exhibitions of works by Icelandic and foreign artists, often in cooperation with other museums. It runs targeted educational activities for schools, artists and the public, and regularly offers courses and workshops in connection with the exhibitions.

Highlights

• Four exhibition halls with contemporary and modern art
• Collection with gifts from Bjarnveig Bjarnadóttir and Halldór Einarsson
• Workshops and courses for children and adults
• Free admission
• Icelandic Museum Awards 2018

Operated by

Héraðsnefnd Árnesinga

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Admission to the museum is free.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

Workshops are held regularly in connection with the museum's exhibitions.

Getting there & parking

The museum is in Hveragerði, about 45 km east of Reykjavík, on the Ring Road.

Amenities & dining

• Café

According to the South Iceland tourism website, there is a small café in the museum.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit