Byggðasafn Vestfjarða

About the museum

The naval engineer Bárður G. Tómasson first proposed a maritime and local heritage museum for the Westfjords in 1939. He called for a six-oared boat (sexæringur) to be built in the old style as the start of a regional museum. The boat Ölver was ready in summer 1941, and on 23 July that year the Byggða- og sjóminjasafn Ísfirðinga (Ísafjörður Local and Maritime Heritage Museum) was founded. Later the Ísafjörður town council and the district councils of North and West Ísafjörður counties agreed to own and run the museum together. It was given the name Byggðasafn Vestfjarða, and in 1975 the town of Bolungarvík joined.

The museum is in old timber houses in Neðstakaupstaður in Ísafjörður. The Turnhúsið (Tower House), built in 1784, and the Tjöruhúsið (Tar House) from 1781 are log houses from the later period of the Royal Trading Monopoly, while the Krambúðin (General Store) dates from 1757. The maritime department of the museum opened in the Turnhúsið on Sailors’ Day in 1988. In 2026 the permanent exhibition on the first floor of the Turnhúsið was partly redeveloped and now covers the development of Ísafjörður from a fishing village into a town.

The Turnhúsið also houses part of the accordion collection of Ásgeir S. Sigurðsson, which comprises more than 220 accordions. The Krambúðin houses the museum’s reception and museum shop. The museum also runs an exhibition in the Vélsmiðja Guðmundar J. Sigurðssonar in Þingeyri, the oldest working engineering workshop in the country, which the museum took into its care in 2014.

Highlights

• The Turnhúsið from 1784 with the permanent exhibition on the history of Ísafjörður
• Accordion collection of Ásgeir S. Sigurðsson with more than 220 accordions
• The Krambúðin from 1757 with museum shop
• Vélsmiðja Guðmundar J. Sigurðssonar in Þingeyri
• Exhibition on the cod wars 1952–1976

Permanent exhibitions

• Grunnsýning í Turnhúsinu – Exhibition on the development of Ísafjörður from a fishing village into a town, town life, the labour movement, industries, homes in the mid-20th century and boat models.
• Harmonikusafn Ásgeirs S. Sigurðssonar – Collection of more than 220 accordions donated to the museum in 2008 by Ásgeir S. Sigurðsson and Messíana Marsellíusdóttir; part of it is on display on the third floor of the Turnhúsið.
• Húsmæðraskólinn Ósk og Vefstofa Guðrúnar Vigfúsdóttur – Exhibition in the Krambúðin on Húsmæðraskólinn Ósk (home economics school) and Vefstofa Guðrúnar Vigfúsdóttur (weaving studio).

Founded

1941

Admission & discounts

Separate prices for the Vélsmiðja GJS in Þingeyri: adults ISK 1,320, seniors ISK 880, children free.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking
• 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

Two marked disabled parking spaces are at the entrance to the museum area. The paths are of smooth gravel, but puddles can form in wet weather. In the Krambúðin, where the reception and museum shop are, there is a ramp to the outside door, but there are thresholds indoors; the doors are wide enough for a standard wheelchair, and a portable ramp is available. In the Turnhúsið there is a ramp in and the first floor is accessible by wheelchair, but the timber entrance can be slippery when wet or snowy, and the upper floors are reached by steep steps. The Smiðjan (the workshop) has toilets and a ramp to the entrance. The Westfjords Information Centre in Jónshús has ramps.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

The museum is in the old town of Neðstakaupstaður on the spit where Ísafjörður lies. Cars may stop at the Tjöruhúsið to drop off and pick up passengers.

Amenities & dining

• Restaurant
• Museum shop

The reception and museum shop are in the Krambúðin. The Tjöruhúsið, one of the old houses in the area, has a restaurant. During Advent, hot chocolate and biscuits are served in the Krambúðin.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit