The East Iceland Heritage Museum was founded in 1943 and since then its aims has been to preserve the history of East Iceland by collecting and preserving things that reflect the society, culture and everyday life of people in the area, from past to present day.
The museum has two permanent exhibitions, one about the reindeers in East Iceland and one about the old rural household in the region. The museum also has diverse temporary exhibitions through the year.
The East is the only part of Iceland were you will find wild reindeers. They contribute to the unique nature and are strongly connected to the region’s history and culture. The focus of the exhibition is on their nature, characteristics and survival, as well as reindeer hunting and how reindeer products have contributed to a creative development of fashion design and handcraft.
On display are items that belong to the history of the old rural community in East Iceland as it was until the mid-20th century. Most of them relate to their practical role in everyday life, such as farm work, clothing and the making and preserving of food. Other objects bear witness to that life was not only about basic survival but also about making beautiful things for decoration and pleasure.
