Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Iceland Reykjavik Einar Jónsson Museum
AO Edited

Einar Jónsson Museum

An unusual building on a "desolate hill" features the works of an Icelandic sculptor.

Reykjavik, Iceland

Added By
betswill
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
  Thomas Quine / CC BY-SA 2.0
  Thomas Quine / CC BY-SA 2.0
  Thomas Quine / CC BY-SA 2.0
  Thomas Quine / CC BY-SA 2.0
Einar Jónsson Museum   Guillaume Baviere / CC BY-SA 2.0
Monument to Hallgrimur Petursson, by Einar Jonsson   hfienberg / Atlas Obscura User
  rudimarnitz / Atlas Obscura User
  Julius Spada / Atlas Obscura User
  Julius Spada / Atlas Obscura User
  Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

In 1909, the Icelandic sculptor Einar Jónsson offered all of his works as a gift to the people of his home country with one condition: a museum must be built specifically to house them. It took a few years for the Icelandic government to take the artist up on his offer. When they did, Jónsson chose to build the museum on Skolavorduhaed, a "desolate hill on the outskirts of town."

Jónsson worked with the architect Einar Erlendsson to bring his vision for the museum to life. Work began in June 1916, and the Einar Jónsson Museum officially opened in 1923. It was the first art museum in Iceland.

The museum also included an apartment, which Jónsson and his wife Anne Marie, moved into once it was complete. Inside the museum and in a sculpture garden on its grounds, you can experience Jónsson's sculptural works. The artist's apartment is also open to the public and offers an insight into Jónsson's life and his artistic method.

Related Tags

Sculptures Artists Art Museum Museums And Collections

Know Before You Go

The museum is open every day from 12-5 p.m. Closed on Mondays.

Atlas Obscura Adventures

Iceland in Winter: Northern Lights & Geothermal Marvels

A land of folklore and myths on a backdrop of remarkable natural wonders.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

betswill

Edited By

Michelle Cassidy, Fred Cherrygarden, hfienberg, Bimblefaff...

  • Michelle Cassidy
  • Fred Cherrygarden
  • hfienberg
  • Bimblefaff
  • Julius Spada
  • rudimarnitz

Published

May 3, 2023

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://guidetoiceland.is/travel-iceland/drive/the-einar-jonsson-museum
  • https://www.artiststudiomuseum.org/studio-museums/einar-jonsson-museum/
  • http://www.lej.is/en/museum/history/
Einar Jónsson Museum
Hallgrímstorg 3
Garðabær
Reykjavik, 101
Iceland
64.141916, -21.928884
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Hallgrimskirkja

Reykjavik, Iceland

miles away

Icelandic Punk Museum

Reykjavik, Iceland

miles away

Monument to the Unknown Bureaucrat

Reykjavik, Iceland

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Reykjavik

Reykjavik

Iceland

Places 23

Nearby Places

Hallgrimskirkja

Reykjavik, Iceland

miles away

Icelandic Punk Museum

Reykjavik, Iceland

miles away

Monument to the Unknown Bureaucrat

Reykjavik, Iceland

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Reykjavik

Reykjavik

Iceland

Places 23

Related Places

  • Main hall of the Wiertz Museum

    Brussels, Belgium

    Wiertz Museum

    The former home and studio of Belgian artist Antoine Wiertz is now a museum dedicated to his work.

  • Ocean Springs, Mississippi

    Walter Anderson Museum of Art

    A small museum celebrating the work of a Mississippi artist who had a unique connection with the natural world.

  • ‘Cabriolle’ by K. William LeQuier

    St. Petersburg, Florida

    Imagine Museum

    You’ll feel like you’ve gone through the looking glass at this contemporary art museum filled with glass sculptures of every size, shape, and color.

  • Japon Louvre Sculpture Museum

    Tsu, Japan

    Japon Louvre Sculpture Museum

    A lesser-known sister to Paris's world-famous museum, located within a Buddhist sculpture paradise.

  • One of the corridors.

    Zacatecas, Mexico

    Rafael Coronel Museum

    Mexico's largest collection of masks is found in the ruins of an abandoned convent.

  • The baby angel.

    Durango, Mexico

    Benigno Montoya Funerary Art

    A historic cemetery doubles as a museum containing hundreds of unique tombs sculpted by a single artist.

  • Inside the museum.

    Wilmington, Delaware

    Delaware Art Museum

    This local gem houses the largest collection of pre-Raphaelite paintings outside of the U.K.

  • Inhotim

    Brumadinho, Brazil

    Inhotim Museum

    The largest open-air contemporary art center in Latin America is a unique experience in the Atlantic Forest.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.