Exhibitions

 Samúel Jónsson (1884-1969) has been called "the simple-hearted artist". When he received old-age pension, he built an art museum and a church, made models of distant landmark buildings, and painted works of art in Selárdalur, without having had any training in art. At Brautarholt in Selárdalur he made statues of seals, lions, a seahorse, ducks with their young on their backs and of Leif Ericsson. Not only that; he built a church he intended to preserve an altarpiece he had made that the parish church had rejected. Over the past two decades, the Association of the Samúel Jónsson Art Museum of has restored the sculptures and buildings by Samúel and rebuilt his residence in Brautarholt. The museum is open to visitors during the summer season and everyone is welcome to have coffee in the house of Samúel.  

The Arctic Fox Centre is a non-profit research and exhibition center, focusing on the arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) - the only native terrestrial mammal in Iceland. The Arctic Fox Centre was established on September 15th 2007 in Sudavik Westfjords. Founders were 42, mostly local people, tourist operators and municipalities in the Westfjords. All of which share their interest in the arctic foxes and believe in increasing ecotourism in Iceland. The idea of the Arctic Fox Centre comes from prof. Pall Hersteinsson, University of Iceland and he serves as a quality witness for the center. The long term aim is to collect all available knowledge and material relevant to the arctic fox in past and presence.  We house an exhibition focusing on educating material:  About biology and history of the arctic foxes as a species. About the war that has been waged between the man and the arctic fox, since the early settlement of humans in Iceland (1100 years). About the status and specialities of the Arctic Foxes in Iceland and other regions of its distributional range. About fox hunting as the oldest paid operation in Iceland, methods and materials, stories and descriptions. About fox farming activities and it´s consequences for the wild population throughout the decades. We emphasize on: Participate in and promote research programs on Icelandic arctic fox populations, in collaboration with academic and research centers. Participate in developing sustainable wildlife torism in Iceland, in collaboration with the authorities and other interested parties. Stimulate development and manufacturing on handicraft and souvenirs, specialized for The Arctic Fox Center. Open: May: 10:00-16:00 June - July: 09:00-18:00 September: 10:00-16:00  Oct 01 - May 14: Upon request

The aim of the centre is to collect, categorize and preserve legends, rhymes, pictures and any remains connected to the settlement in the Snæfjallahreppur and Grunnavíkurhreppur parishes by making exhibitions, publishing, making a website and with conferences and various events. Hours of Operation: Summer: July 12 - August 05

An exhibition was opened in Steinshús August 15, 2015 about Steinn Steinarr, putting some light on the origins of the poet in Ísafjarðardjúp, how his family was split up, his first encounters with poetry with Stefán from Hvítadalur, his studies in Saurbær with poet and teacher Jóhannes úr Kötlum, Steinarr´s first attempts writing poetry, his studies at Núp ur in Dýrafjörður, his life as a freelance worker, publications of his poems, the original edition of Tíminn og vatnið, his encounter and life with Ásthildur Björnsdóttir, their travels, his effect on young poets, his last years and a lot more. The exhibition is organized in cooperation with the National and University Library of Iceland which preserves original documents, giving Steinshús reproductions for use on the exhibition. Ólafur J. Engilbertsson compiled display text and Anna Yates translated into English. Björn G. Björnsson designed the exhibition. The exhibition is both in Icelandic and English.

Hnjótur Museum in Örlygshöfn in Patreksfjörður, displays a unique collection of old items from the Southern Westfjords. The museum shows the history of fishing, farming and everyday life in the area. At the museum is an exhibition about the rescue of the British trawler Dhoon that stranded at Látrabjarg cliffs in 1947. At the museum is an attractive cafeteria, souvenir shop and information center. Opening hours: Daily from 10:00 - 18:00, May 1st to September 30th. Please contact for visits outside scheduled opening hours (museum@hnjotur.is or 456 1511)

The Museum of Sorcery and Witchcraft was opened in the summer of 2000 and attracts around 11 thousand guests every year. The exhibition tells the story of the witchcraze in Iceland in the 17th century and how witchcraft is presented in our folklore. Guests will learn about certain witchcraft cases and about different witchcraft like necropants to gather money, find a thiefe and wake up the dead.   Open all year.Summer hours: May 15th - September 30th: 10:00-18:00 every day of the weekWinter hours: Oktober 1st - Mayl 15th: 12:00-18:00 every day of the week

The Comedytheatre is the first and only professional theatre in the Westfjords, founded in 1997. The theatre has hosted 45 plays, which usually reflect the history of the Westfjords in one way or another. The Comedytheatre has focused on solo performances that have attracted considerable attention.   Find us on Facebook here.

In most travel books referred to as the Maritime Museum. Fisheries have always been the most important economic activity in the Westfjords, and the museum gives a unique insight into the rich maritime history and culture of the area. Open:15. May - 31. Aug. 10:00-17:00.1. Sept - 15. Sept. 11:00-15:00. Admission fee: Adults - ISK. 1.600,-Seniors    ISK. 1.200,-

The old blacksmith shop in Bíldudalur dates back to 1895 to when Pétur Thorsteinsson, one of the most sucessfull entrepreneur for business in Iceland, built his empire here in Bíldudalur. The shop was used for over a 100 years and today guests are welcome to visit the shop and get a feel on how life was here in the old fishing village years ago. 

The Old Bookstore in Flateyri is the oldest original store in Iceland, fourth generation family business since 1914. In this uniq store you will find all of the best products and books from the Westfjords, combined with high quality products from brands that are at least 100 years old from all around the world.  At the Bookstore you will also find the merchant apartment of the founder of the Bookstore. Nothing has been change since 1950, when Jón, the founder of the Bookstore past away. – It is a truly an unforgettable experience to take a step into the past, by visiting the old apartment in the Old Bookstore. But if you truly want to experience the real history of the Old Bookstore and the family you can stay at their home, above the Old bookstore.  See: https://bookstore.is/

Tales of sea monsters have played a colourful role in Icelandic folk culture for centuries, and several written accounts of them can be found all around the country. Today, these elusive creatures have been given a worthy home at the Icelandic Sea Monster Museum, located in the village of Bildudalur on the shores of Arnarfjörður fjord, said to be one of the most prolific centres of monster activity in the country.Visitors to the Sea Monster Museum watch these remarkable creatures brought to life through a lively mix of words, images and videos, an action-packed multimedia display that culminates in a spectacular interactive plinth, the first of its kind in Iceland. First-hand accounts from eye-witnesses are joined on-screen by academic theories on the nature of sea monsters, while a variety of relics and artefacts relating to this mysterious branch of zoology appear throughout the museum as tangible evidence for their existence. And to feed monster appetites, the museum cafeteria offers a range of light refreshments and snacks.  

 Outvert Art Space is a non-profit organization and a dynamic, contemporary cultural arts space where variedperspectives and issues are explored through visual arts, music, performance and other forms of media. Outvert Art Space (Gallerí Úthverfa) was founded in 2013 by Elísabet Gunnarsdóttir and Gunnar Jónsson, and collaborates closely with ArtsIceland programs. ArtsIceland and Outvert Art Space are particularly interested in helping artists and curators achieve projects that have significant cultural impact but would be impossible to realize in a traditional gallery or museum setting.  Opening hours: Thursday - Saturday 4 – 6 pm and by appointment.    Outvert Art Space is supported by the Westfjord Cultural Fund & the Municipality of Ísafjörður.  

The Sheep Farming Museum is an interesting and entertaining exhibition about the Icelandic sheep and sheep farming. The exhibition focuses on providing diverse entertainment for all ages. The children can enjoy themselves in their own room, in which are toys and colour books, while the grown-ups can view the exhibition. The museum also has a small science room where people can take a look at various things through a microscope. One of the main attractions in the Sheep Farming Museum are the lambs, which the visitors can feed with milk from a bottle. Sævangur also houses a small and cosy coffee bar where guests can sit down and relax over a cup of coffee and genuine Icelandic cakes and bread. Handicraft- and souvenir store placed in the lobby of Sævangur sells crafts made mostly by locals. The museum is located 12 km. south of Hólmavík Opening hours June 1st - August 31st:  Week days: 10:00-18:00  Saturdays: 10:00-18:00  Sundays:10:00-18:00 Open on request during winter.

Ósvör maritime Museum is a replica of an old Icelandic fishing station from the19th century that stands on the east side of Bolungarvík down by the sea. On display are the rowing boat Ölver, a crew hut with tools and equipment, a salt house and a drying hut. The curator welcomes guests in a traditional fisherman outfit.  Opening hours 2023: Week days: Saturdays: Sundays: June 1st - August 20th: 09:00-17:00 10:00-17:00 10:00-17:00 Winter 2023-2024: By appointment By appointment By appointment      Admission fee: Adults ……………………………………………………………………… 1.200 ISK 16 years and younger………………………………………………....free  

The building that is now the hotel was constructed in the 1930s for the women who worked in the herring factory. It was extensively renovated in 1985 and the first visitors booked in during in the summer of that year. We serve breakfast and dinner in our charming, wooden-beamed dining room. Coffee and tea are for free and cakes and other snacks are available throughout the day. Please contact for prices and booking information. 

The Boat and Gift-of-Nature Museum & travel information centre tells the story of how inhabitants traditionally harvested the rich, natural resources in Breiðafjörður. Foraging for eggs, hunting birds, collecting eider down, using seaweed and hunting seals for sustenance. Boats were essential for harvesting on the numerous islands. The timber boats displayed in the boat-building workshop feature unique Nordic design and craftsmanship adapted to navigate in the area. A variety of local products, baked breads, coffee, tea, books and souvenirs are available at our gift shop. Open everyday from June 1 to August 30, 11:00-18:00. Winter openings by appointment.

Ghosts, trolls and sorcerers To Icelanders the Strandir region is wrapped in an aura of mystery. According to lore it’s not only home to ghosts, elves and trolls, but many thought witchcraft was rampant here, used for both good and evil. Hotel Laugarholl is a peaceful and comfortable family-run country hotel located in the green and sparsely populated valley Bjarnarfjordur, perfectly situated for exploring the remote and beautiful wilderness of mysterious Strandir. We have single, double and triple rooms with private or shared facilities, a cosy living room with free internet access and a restaurant with special emphasis on fresh and tasty homemade local food as well as global cuisine. Next to the hotel you will find The Pool of Gvendur the good, a naturally warm geothermal outdoor swimming pool (32°C) and adjacent natural hot pool (42°C), perfect for relaxing after a long day on the road or hiking in the wilderness. The camping site is open from 1. June - 1. September From Reykjavik 258 km, from Stykkishólmur 190 km, from Ísafjörður 250 km, from Akureyri 360 km.