About Reykjavik City Museum

The Collection Department
The Collection Department supervises objects in the museum´s collection. It receives items, catalogues them and places them in the appropriate storage.
Many people donate objects to the museum on their own initiative every year, and the museum organises collection drives when its resources allow.
In recent years, increased emphasis has been placed on obtaining objects relating to work and industry. The department´s purpose is to preserve tangible evidence of the city´s history. Objects are used for various kinds of research, exhibited and utilised in educational work.

Department of Public programmes
Department of Public programmes supervises educational programmes for schoolchildren, the training of guides and general instruction.
This includes the teaching conducted at the museum year-round as well as the organisation of summer instruction at Arbaer Museum.
Efforts are made to provide projects for pupils of all ages during exhibitions at the museum.
The Department sets up exhibits of selected aspects of Reykjavik´s history, using the museum´s collection. It also organises events and workshops, and as Arbaer is an open-air museum there are many opportunities for instruction in the customs and work methods of previous generations.
The exhibitions undertaken by the Reykjavik City museum are not limited to the museum buildings and grounds.
It has taken part in various exhibitions held elsewhere, both inside the city limits and outside, in collaboration with various parties.

The architecture department of the Reykjavik City Museum
The architecture department of the Reykjavik City Museum conducts research on the architectural history of Reykjavik and makes studies of individual houses and parts of the city for the City Planning Office and other municipal committees and for private individuals as well. One project has been the compiling of a comprehensive building register for the museum´s database, which includes details relating to the architectural history of all the buildings in Reykjavik.
This register is the basis for preserving the city´s architectural heritage and information is available to those requesting it. Service to institutions and individuals has been greatly increased in recent years. This applies both to the renovation of individual buildings and studies of buildings in whole areas of the city.

The Archaeological Research Department
There are over one hundred sites within the city limits where archaeological finds have been registered with the department.
Its task is to see that these sites are not disturbed during construction and to provide advice on design. The department supervises construction on historical sites in the city, including Kjalarnes. Extensive archaeological research has been undertaken at several locations in Reykjavik, on Videy island, Arnarholl and Adalstraeti 12 where the Settlement Exhibition Reykjavik 871 is now open.