Where history of community and culture become one
Filled with old memories, Húsið “The House” at Eyrarbakki was built when danish merchants were allowed to overwinter in Iceland for the first time.
Tran – sported to Iceland in kit form in 1765, it is a timber structure, comprising two storeys and an attic. The extension to the west of The House is known as Assistentahúsið (The Assistants’ House) while north from the Assistants House is the „Egg House“ formerly used for a large collection of birds and eggs in 1890-1926, now used as an exhibition space.
Today these buildings house the Árnesinga Folk Museum where visitors can experience past items and learn about the remarkable history of the building. Merchant families lived in the House for almost two centuries over which period the House was the centre for art and European culture in Iceland; fashion, music and literature spread from there throughout the country.
The House underwent repairs and alterations during the period 1979 to 1995, with the objective of restoring it to its original form, then purchased by The Icelandic Treasury in 1992 and opened it to public in 1995 as The Árnessýsla Folk Museum.
National Dresses 
Árnesinga Folk Museum display
Exhibitions in the House have been designed to show the building at its best. The museum is inevitably affected by its environment, and so part of the museum focuses on the House and its inhabitants. Another museum worth the visit is Sjóminjasafnið á Eyrarbakka,the museum of maritime history in Eyrarbakki. It can be found near the House. The museum takes the visitor back to old times in a small Icelandic fishing village. On display is a fine collection of artifacts connected with fisheries, crafts, social and cultural life of the common people during the last 150 years.
Byggðasafn Árnesinga Húsið • 820 Eyrarbakki
+354 483 1504
[email protected]
www.byggdasafn.is/english/
