National museums are owned by the state and are centers of museum activities in their respective fields. They are established by law, which specifies their operations in more detail. There are three national museums: the National Gallery of Iceland, the National Museum of Natural History of Iceland, and the National Museum of Iceland. They advise other museums and shall promote cooperation among museums and a coordinated museum policy in their respective fields.
Lead institutions shall take the lead on museum matters in their field, promote the strengthening and coordination of museum work, and guide professional collaboration among museums and other parties. Lead institutions shall strive to enhance and expand the knowledge and skills of museum staff.
Head collections shall be responsible for promoting their area of expertise at home and abroad.
The collections of major institutions shall be the foundation of their educational and exhibition activities. They shall also be accessible for research.
Furthermore, it is possible to learn about the legal environment of museums. here.
The heads of major museums also attend meetings of the museum board by virtue of their position.