Monday, January 19, 2026, 2:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Meeting place: 5 Austurstr\u00e6ti, 4th floor <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Present: Vilhj\u00e1lmur Bjarnason, Chair; Gunnhildur \u00c1sta Gu\u00f0mundsd\u00f3ttir, Vice Chair; Gu\u00f0r\u00fan Dr\u00f6fn Whitehead; Hlynur Hallsson; and J\u00f3hanna Erla P\u00e1lmad\u00f3ttir <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The meeting was attended on behalf of the principal collections: for the National Gallery of Iceland: Ingibj\u00f6rg J\u00f3hannsd\u00f3ttir; for the National Museum of Natural History of Iceland: Ragnhildur Gu\u00f0mundsd\u00f3ttir; for the National Museum of Iceland: Harpa \u00de\u00f3rsd\u00f3ttir. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Staff of the Board of Trustees: Th\u00f3ra Bj\u00f6rk \u00d3lafsd\u00f3ttir, Executive Director, who writes the minutes, and Klara \u00de\u00f3rhallsd\u00f3ttir. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
1.1.<\/strong> Overview of the council's activities since the last meeting. Among other things, it was reported that the fund received a promised 15 million additional appropriation from the Ministry of Culture in December for 2025. The main allocation was submitted to the minister at the end of December and is now under review.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1.2.<\/strong> The supplemental allocation for 2025 has been approved. The proposal was sent to the minister on December 22, and he approved the allocation on January 12. Grantees were notified of the award on January 13.\u202fA total of 70 grants amounting to 20,692,500 kr. were awarded to 37 accredited museums. In total, the fund received 76 applications from 37 accredited museums, with a total requested amount of 23,355,500 kr.\u202f\u202fThe total allocation for 2025 is therefore 237,852,000 kr., which is the highest total allocation from the fund since its inception.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1.3. <\/strong>The 2026 allocation call and annual meeting of the principal collections were discussed, but the event will be held around Easter.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1.4.<\/strong>The 2026 budget was presented and will be approved at the next meeting. Individual projects of the council and their funding were discussed. Harpa \u00de\u00f3rsd\u00f3ttir, the National Museum Curator, requested that it be noted in the minutes that the arrangement of the council's monitoring groups could be discussed.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1.5.<\/strong> Preliminary review of a possible merger of the National Museum of Natural History of Iceland and the Institute of Natural History. The Minister of Culture, Innovation, and Higher Education has appointed a steering group on the possible merger of the National Museum of Natural History of Iceland and the Institute of Natural History. The group's task is to conduct a preliminary review of a possible merger of the institutions. Specifically, the group's task is to: analyze the institutions' operating environment and summarize basic information, such as on human resources matters, real estate, information technology, finances, etc., assess the operational, professional, and societal arguments for a merger, assess the impact of the merger on the operations of both institutions, summarize the main issues, and make a recommendation to the minister on the next steps. Recommendations shall be submitted to the minister no later than March 31, 2026. The Council of Museums was invited to meet with the steering group to present its views. It was decided at the Museum Council meeting to request that the directors of the other two major museums also attend the meeting.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1.6. <\/strong>East Iceland Maritime Museum \u2013 change in the operating model of the East Iceland Maritime Museum, from being a non-profit organization entirely funded by a municipality to becoming a municipal institution. The museum's board has approved this arrangement. The Museum Council has received a proposal from the museum and the Fjar\u00f0abygg\u00f0 Town Council and has forwarded the proposal to the Ministry of Culture, Innovation, and University Affairs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1.7. <\/strong>The Ministry of Culture has appointed Thora Bj\u00f6rk to the Nordic and Baltic Sea Countries' Cooperation Group.\u00a0Nordic-Baltic Cultural Heritage Preparedness Program.<\/em>\u00a0The ministry will pay for travel expenses and accommodation.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2.1.<\/strong> Revocation of the recognition of the Einar J\u00f3nsson Art Museum following its merger with the National Gallery of Iceland. A proposal to this effect will be sent to the Ministry of Culture.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
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2. Matters for decision<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n