According to the Museums Act, the role of the Museums Council is to work on a strategy for museum work in collaboration with the main museums, which is sent to the minister for approval. In accordance with this role, the Museums Council agreed at its meeting on 20 March 2013 to establish a working group to work on the council's strategy. The main museums, the National Gallery of Iceland and the National Museum, as well as the Department of Museum Studies at the University of Iceland, were approached to nominate representatives to the working group. The Museums Council's representative in the group is Haraldur Þór Egilsson, who is also the group's chairman.
The working group includes:
Anna Lísa Rúnarsdóttir – National Museum of Iceland
Rakel Pétursdóttir – National Gallery of Iceland
Sigurjón Baldur Hafsteinsson – Study program in Museology
Haraldur Þór Egilsson – museum board
The Executive Director of the Museum Council is an employee of the group.
The group held its first meeting in May and is expected to submit proposals to the Museum Council early next year. This fall, the group will seek consultation with museum professionals from across the country and other stakeholders on the policy's priorities.
In its search for inspiration, the working group has examined reports and policy documents from numerous parties, and on this page you can find links to the part of the material that can be found on the website.
Those interested in submitting ideas, comments or material to the working group can contact the Museum Council office at safnarad@safnarad.is.
Cultural policy – parliamentary resolution proposal approved on March 7, 2013
National Audit Office report about Icelandic antiquities and museums from 2009
Going Further, The National Strategy for Scotland's Museums and Galleries
Trendswatch 2013 – Back to the Future – American Alliance of Museums
About the museum landscape of the future – The Danish Ministry of Education and Culture together with the Danish Cultural Heritage Agency
Museum of the Future, report by the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Church Affairs from 2009
European Union report on accessibility and participation from 2012.
Creative disciplines vision for the future, report of the Creative Industries Working Group from 2012
Statistics, Þóra Björk Ólafsdóttir's essay on the operating environment of museums.