Present: Vilhjálmur Bjarnason, Chair; Gunnhildur Ásta Guðmundsdóttir, Vice Chair; Guðrún Dröfn Whitehead; Hlynur Hallsson; and Jóhanna Erla Pálmadóttir (on Teams)
The meeting was attended on behalf of the main collections: for the National Gallery of Iceland: Ingibjörg Jóhannsdóttir; for the National Museum of Natural History of Iceland: Hilmar Malmquist; for the National Museum of Iceland: Harpa Þórsdóttir.
Staff of the Board of Trustees: Þóra Björk Ólafsdóttir, Executive Director, who writes the minutes, and Klara Þórhallsdóttir.
1. Presentation case
1.1 A new Museum Board is welcomed to its term, serving from February 1, 2025, to January 31, 2029. Two board members are new this term, and we extend a special welcome to them.
The Board of Trustees is as follows:
General representatives
- Vilhjálmur Bjarnason, chairman, appointed without nomination
- Gunnhildur Ásta Guðmundsdóttir Vice Chair, appointed without nomination
- Guðrún Dröfn Whitehead, nominated by the Icelandic National Committee of ICOM, the International Council of Museums
- Hlynur Hallsson, nominated by the Association of Icelandic Museums and Museum Professionals
- Jóhanna Erla Pálmadóttir, nominated by the Association of Icelandic Municipalities
Deputy representatives
- Valborg Snævarr, appointed without nomination
- Svanhvít Friðriksdóttir, appointed without nomination
- Hólmar Hólm, nominated by the Icelandic chapter of ICOM, the International Council of Museums
- Thóra Sigurbjörnsdóttir, nominated by the Association of Icelandic Museums and Museum Professionals
- The nomination of the Association of Icelandic Municipalities will be announced later.
The directors of the main museums also attend meetings of the museum council in their position due to
- Ingibjörg Jóhannsdóttir, National Gallery of Iceland
- Hilmar Malmquist, National Museum of Natural History of Iceland
- Harpa Thorsdottir, National Museum of Iceland
1.2 The council's projects were presented to the new Museum Board, and the project plan and information packet were distributed.
1.3 Monitoring and response plan presented to the new Board of Trustees
1.4. Overview of the council's activities since the last meeting
1.5. The 2024 Annual Report of the Museum Fund has been presented. Older annual reports can be found here on the government's website: https://arsreikningar.rikisreikningur.is/Stofnun
1.6. Discussion about the upcoming joint symposium of the National Council for the Arts, ICOM Iceland, and FÍSOS, the Association of Icelandic Museums and Museum Professionals, held in celebration of International Museum Day on May 18, 2025. It will be held on Wednesday, May 21, and its theme is the tensions in the museum world amid changing worldviews and increased political interference.
1.7. The letter from FÍSOS and the Icelandic Chapter of ICOM to the Ministry of Culture, Innovation, and Higher Education was presented to the meeting. The letter was sent following news of recommendations from a working group on museum affairs.
2. Matters for decision
2.1. Confirmation regarding establishment grant. The Eastland Museum of Technology is applying for an establishment grant from the Ministry of Culture, as provided for in Article 11 of the Museum Act 141/2011. The grant is being requested for a new exhibition facility to be built at Lónsleira in Seyðisfjörður. Section 11 states: „It is permissible to grant a recognized museum a subsidy from the state treasury to cover establishment costs. For a subsidy to be considered, it must comply with the conditions set by the Museum Council regarding museum facilities. Those terms shall, among other things, stipulate the security and preservation of museum objects.“ The Museum Council confirmed at the meeting that the Technical Museum's application for an establishment grant complies with the Museum Council's terms regarding museum facilities, based on the submitted materials.
2.2. Monitoring – The visit report from the preventive conservation specialist on the National Museum Council's monitoring team for the Garðskagi Folk Museum has been approved and will be sent to the museum and its owners.
3. Other issues
- Timing of the next board of trustees meeting
- Annual trip of the Board of Trustees, possible dates
- A modern look for the Council of Museums' website, mockups by a web designer.
Meeting adjourned at 5:00 PM / THB