Posetite kuću islandskih saga

Over

Korte feiten: Hundreds of original medieval manuscripts live here, including the famous Poetic Edda and the sagas of Icelanders. The institute's hand-painted exhibition space uses color-coded panels to guide visitors through centuries of storytelling tradition.

Hoogtepunten: One of the institute's prized possessions is Flateyjarbók, a 14th-century manuscript containing 225 hand-illustrated leaves with gold leaf details that still shimmer after 700 years. Visitors can watch scholars wearing white gloves turn parchment pages in the reading room, a ritual that connects modern Icelanders directly to their Viking-era ancestors.

Insidertips

• Request to see the facsimile copies up close in the reading room where handling is allowed, unlike the originals.
• The hand-painted timeline on the walls uses color codes matching the manuscript cases, follow the same color for a logical flow.
• Photography is banned in the main hall to protect the vellum, but you can take photos in the entrance lobby and gift shop.
• Skip visiting during Reykjavik Culture Night in August when the institute is packed with locals and queues form outside.

Meer attracties in Reykjavík

Hallgrímskirkja

Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre

Sun Voyager (Sólfar)

Perlan (The Pearl)