New museum board appointed

The Minister of Education, Culture and Sports has appointed a new Museum Council, whose term of office is 1 February 2021 – 31 January 2025. The Council consists of: General representatives Vilhjálmur Bjarnason, chairman, appointed without nomination Gunnhildur Ásta Guðmundsdóttir vice chairman, appointed without nomination Helga Lára Þorsteinsdóttir, nominated by the Icelandic Section of ICOM, the International Council of Museums Hlynur Hallsson, nominated by the Association of Icelandic Museums and Collectors Inga Lára Baldvinsdóttir, nominated by the Association …

New regulation – more extensive restrictions for museums from February 8th

New regulations on gathering restrictions will come into effect on Monday, February 8. The maximum number of visitors allowed in museums will now be 150 people, based on the number of square meters. Regulation No. 123/2021 states: “museums, such as libraries and archives, art museums, historical museums, natural history museums and technology museums, are permitted to receive five visitors per 10 m², with a maximum of 150 visitors per space …

Sæheimar incorporated into Sagnheimar's operations

The Vestmannaeyjar Municipality has informed the Museum Board that Sæheimar (or the Natural History Museum as it is called from October 31, 2019) has been merged into the operation of Sagnheimar – Vestmannaeyjar Historical Museum. There has also been a change that Vestmannaeyjarbær has taken over the operation of the museum from the Vestmannaeyjar Knowledge Center. Since Sæheimar was a recognized museum and now belongs to Sagnheimar, …

Emergency grant to the Technical Museum

  The Icelandic Museum of Technology in Seyðisfjörður is largely damaged after a landslide hit a large part of the museum's building on Saturday, December 19. This happened following unprecedented torrential rain in the area for almost a week. The museum, which received recognition in 2014, specializes in the collection and preservation of technological artifacts, and many of its collections are unique. …

New regulations on quarantine measures from January 13

New regulations on quarantine measures will come into effect on January 13. The changes from previous measures that apply to museums are that general crowd restrictions will be based on 20 people, with children born in 2005 and later exempted from that number. This is being applied to each quarantine space. Gathering restrictions valid from January 13 to February 17, 2021 Maximum number …

Second additional allocation from the museum fund 2020

At the end of December 2020, the Minister of Education and Culture, after receiving the opinion of the Museum Council, allocated ISK 17,466,950 from the second additional allocation of the Museum Fund 2020. In 2020, there were two additional allocations from the fund, the first was last July and was intended as a counterbalance to the consequences that COVID-19 has had on the operation of museums. Now from the second additional allocation, 58 grants were allocated to …

New regulations on quarantine measures will come into effect on December 10th.

New regulations on quarantine measures will come into effect on December 10th. The changes from previous measures that apply to museums are that, although general restrictions on crowds will continue to be based on 10 people, children born in 2005 and later are exempt from that number. This is based on each quarantine compartment. Gathering restrictions that apply from December 10th, 2020 to …

The Museum Council is advertising for applications for the main allocation of the Museum Fund 2021

Applications are open for the 2021 main allocation of the Museum Fund. The application deadline is 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 16th and applications can be made on the Museum Fund's application website. Grants for one year. Recognized museums can apply for grants for one year. In addition, other museums, main collections, museum guides, centers and exhibitions can apply for allocations from the Museum Fund in collaboration with recognized museums, …

Stricter gathering restrictions – 10-person limit

The Museum Council draws attention to the tighter restrictions on gatherings. The 10-person limit will take effect from October 31st, and now children born in 2015 and later will not be included in the maximum number. The memorandum from the Chief Epidemiologist states: “10. Museums and other public places should ensure that the ten-person limit is observed, and that the distance between unrelated parties is greater than …

Continued restrictions on gatherings – 2-meter rule in effect throughout the country

Gathering restrictions applicable to museums apply nationwide from October 20 to November 3. The proximity limit will be two meters between unrelated parties – nationwide. Where proximity limits cannot be maintained, the use of a face mask is mandatory. The maximum number of individuals in the same space is 20 individuals. It must be ensured that mixing …