Vínlandssetrið – Leifsbúð
Exhibition in Búðardalur on the voyages of Erik the Red and Leif Erikson, with artworks by ten artists and an audio guide in four languages.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Vínlandssetrið – Leifsbúð (Vinland Centre – Leif’s House) in Búðardalur covers the voyages of Norsemen westward across the Atlantic about a thousand years ago. The Saga of the Greenlanders and the Saga of Erik the Red tell how Erik the Red settled Greenland, how his son Leif the Lucky found America five hundred years before Columbus, and how the Norsemen tried to settle there. Modern archaeological research suggests that the sagas are based on facts.
The exhibition is on the upper floor of Leifsbúð and is the work of the director and playwright Kjartan Ragnarsson. Axel Hallkell Jóhannesson was responsible for curating and design, and Ögmundur Jóhannsson designed the lighting. Artworks by ten Icelandic visual artists feature in the exhibition, including Aðalheiður Eysteinsdóttir, Finnur Arnarsson, Helgi Björnsson, Helgi Þorgils Friðjónsson and Örn Sigurðsson. The exhibition was modelled on the Landnámssetur Íslands (Settlement Centre of Iceland) in Borgarnes.
Visitors walk through the exhibition with an audio guide in Icelandic, English, German and French. The first part shows the setting of the sagas on maps and the archaeological research that supports them, while the second part tells the sagas and the characters themselves. Coffee and light refreshments are available on the lower floor. Nearby is Eiríksstaðir in Haukadalur, the farm of Erik the Red, where live guided tours are offered in the longhouse.
Highlights
- Exhibition on the voyages of Erik the Red and Leif Erikson to Greenland and America
- Artworks by ten well-known Icelandic artists
- Audio guide in Icelandic, English, German and French
- Maps, interactive content and archaeological research that support the sagas
- Café on the lower floor
Permanent exhibition
- 500 árum á undan Kólumbusi – Exhibition on the upper floor of Leifsbúð on the voyages of Erik the Red and Leif Erikson to Greenland and America, with maps, interactive content and artworks by ten artists.
Admission & discounts
| Adults | ISK 3,000 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 12 · Children aged 12 and under enter free when accompanied by an adult. |
| Seniors | –Discount for seniors; amount not published. |
| Visitors with disabilities | –Discount for people with disabilities; amount not published. |
| Students & apprentices | –Discount for students; amount not published. |
| Groups | –Special rates for travel agencies and groups; please contact the centre well in advance. |
The price includes the audio guide.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
- Café
Café on the lower floor serving coffee and light refreshments.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes (IS, EN, DE, FR) |
| Good to know | An audio guide is included with the exhibition. Groups can arrange a guide outside regular opening hours if they contact the centre in advance. |
