216th Museum Council Meeting

Monday, September 26, 2022 – 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Location: Museum House

Present: Vilhjálmur Bjarnason, Chair; Gunnhildur Ásta Guðmundsdóttir (part of the meeting on Teams); Helga Lára Þorsteinsdóttir; Hlynur Hallsson; Anna G. Björnsdóttir (substitute for Inga Lára Baldvinsdóttir), Hilmar Malmquist, Thorbjorg Gunnarsdottir, and Thora Bjork Olafsdottir, Executive Director.

1. Presentation case

  1. Overview of the board's activities since the last meeting. Topics discussed included the museum agreement with Myndstef, an action plan for the Strategic Plan, the submission of the Annual Report for accredited museums, and the translation of the MOI! project.
  2. Applications for the 2023 main allocation opened in early September, and the deadline is 4:00 PM on Thursday, October 20. An open educational and discussion meeting will be held on October 6.
  3. The funding for the museum fund was reported as it appears in the 2023 budget bill.
  4. The Executive Director attended the ICOM World Congress, which was held in Prague in August. A new museum definition was adopted at the congress. An Icelandic translation is in progress, but the English version is as follows:
    • “A museum is a non-profit, permanent institution in the service of society that researches, collects, conserves, interprets, and exhibits tangible and intangible heritage. Open to the public, accessible and inclusive, museums foster diversity and sustainability. They operate and communicate ethically, professionally, and with the participation of communities, offering varied experiences for education, enjoyment, reflection, and knowledge sharing.”
  5. The Museum Workers' School was held at Hallormsstaður this September. The Museum Council organized and participated in several events; an opening reception on Wednesday (which is usually associated with the awards ceremony); a presentation on a new museum definition on Thursday, and then the distribution of certificates of recognition on Friday morning, where Lilja Alfreðsdóttir, Minister of Culture, presented the awardees with their certificates.

2. Matters for Decision

  1. Item 2.1 was postponed.
  2. The form for the 2022 supplemental allocation from the collections fund was approved, with one item added.
  3. The staff matters of the board of trustees were discussed.

1. Other matters

  • From the Technology Museum – The museum's purchase of a preservation building was discussed, and it was reported that in a storm that swept across the country on Saturday, September 24, the Angró building collapsed, which is part of the museum's future plans.
  • Discussion regarding a museum's request for an extension for a project's due date.
  • Helga Lára Þorsteinsdóttir, representative of the Icelandic chapter of ICOM, wishes to state that she and the organization support the criticism of the minister's handling of the appointment of the national heritage director.

Meeting adjourned at 4:00 PM / THB