The Reykjavík Art Museum received the Museum Award 2024
On International Museum Day, May 18, the Icelandic Museum Awards were presented at a ceremony. The Icelandic section of the International Council on Museums (ICOM) and the Association of Icelandic Museums and Museum Professionals (FÍSOSThey jointly sponsor the award, which is a biennial recognition given to an Icelandic museum for outstanding work.
The award this time went to the Reykjavík Art Museum for its progressive outreach work, and in the selection committee's review, it says, among other things:
A core principle of the Reykjavík Art Museum's outreach is that everyone can connect with art, past and present, on their own terms. Visitors of all ages, ethnicities, and interests or abilities are encouraged to explore and discover, and especially to participate in the museum's outreach activities. The museum strives to tailor its exhibitions and other outreach with the goal of creating meaningful and enjoyable art experiences for city residents and other visitors.
In its mediation work, the Reykjavík Art Museum demonstrates great ambition and innovation in effectively reaching its diverse target audiences.
The museums that also received a nomination for the award were Gerðarsafn for the connection between its internal and external museum activities, and the National Gallery of Iceland for Vision – training in visual literacy, Sauðfjársetur á Ströndum for a community-based approach to museum work and the National Museum of Iceland for With the works of the hands.
The selection committee consisted of Bergsveinn Þórsson, associate professor at the University of Bifröst; Helga Einarsdóttir, project manager in the education department of the Althingi; Sigrún Kristjánsdóttir, exhibition manager at the Árni Magnússon Institute; and Sigríður Örvarsdóttir, director of the Cultural Center of Þingeyjar. Haraldur Þór Egilsson was the chairman of the committee on behalf of the Akureyri Museum, which received the award in 2022.
Sigrún Brynja Einarsdóttir, Director of the Ministry of Culture and Commerce, presented the awards at the National Museum on Hverfisgata, and great joy reigned among museum staff who had gathered in large numbers for the event to celebrate the flourishing activities of museums in Iceland today.