Located in the oldest section of Akureyri, this well designed folk museum hosts two permanent exhibitions depicting life in Eyjafjörður Fjord, as well the development of the town of Akureyri from 874 until the early 19th century.
Eyjafjörður fjord was among the first areas where settlement began. According to Landnáma, the Book of Settlement, Helgi Magri, born in Ireland, was first to settle in the fjord. Helgi was a Christian but not zealous. He also venerated the god Þór, as many Vikings did.
Akureyri Folk Museum exhibition
There are a number of interesting pieces spanning history from ancient Viking artifacts to local milk cartons from the 18th century. There are also excellent black and white photographs depicting local residents over the years.
We also highly recommend a visit to the adjacent church. The timber church was built in 1846 and originally stood on Svalbard, an Eyjafjjörður farm.The museum garden is also a great spot for a picnic. The garden is Iceland’s first reforestation area, dating from 1899.
Opening hours
The museum is open daily in the summer June 1st to September 15th, between 10:00am-17:00 (5:00pm). During winter it’s open on Saturdays at the same hours.
