Programme of the week
Event 29 January 2026 – National Gallery of Iceland
Long Thursday
29 January
We warmly welcome you to Long Thursday on 29 January!
On the last Thursday of every month, the National Gallery of Iceland is open until 22:00. Regular museum admission applies.
The café Kaktus Espressobar is also open until 22:00 on Long Thursday. Happy Hour on wine and beer from 17:00–20:00. Tapas platter with a glass of wine on offer for ISK 2,900.
Follow the exciting Long Thursday programme on the National Gallery of Iceland’s social media channels and website.
Long Thursday
Exhibition Opening 30 January 2026 – The National Gallery
The Architecture of Place: Hörður Ágústsson and Donald Judd
Opening: Friday, 30 January, 17:00–19:00
You are warmly invited to the opening of the exhibition The Architecture of Place at the National Gallery of Iceland on Friday, 30 January, from 17:00 to 19:00.
The Architecture of Place brings together works by the American artist Donald Judd and the Icelandic artist Hörður Ágústsson. This exhibition presents an understanding of architecture thought as expressed through drawings by two artists who shared an appreciation for elegant, efficient solutions realised with particular attention to the specifics of place.
Beginning in the 1980s, Judd was a regular visitor to Iceland, during which time he became fascinated by the country’s literature, landscape, history, art, and architecture. Hörður Ágústsson was an artist, designer, critic, teacher and architectural historian. An extensive part of his professional life was dedicated to the study and documentation of Iceland's vernacular architecture.
Curator: Gavin Morrison
Exhibition Opening - The Architecture of Place!
Exhibition Opening 30 January 2026 – The National Gallery
Affinities of Form: Artistic Convergences in Iceland since 1970
Opening: Friday, 30 January, 17:00–19:00
You are warmly invited to the opening of the exhibition Affinities of Form at the National Gallery of Iceland on Friday, 30 January, from 17:00 to 19:00.
Affinities of Form is an exhibition that explores landscape art, minimalism, and conceptual art in Iceland from the 1970s through the first decade of the 21st century. The exhibition features works by Icelandic artists, as well as works by international artists who visited Iceland during this period and often formed strong connections with Icelandic artists and collectors.
Curators: Pari Stave and Gavin Morrison
Exhibition Opening - Affinities of Form!
Event 1 February 2026 – National Gallery of Iceland
Curators’ Tour
Affinities of Form & The Architecture of Place
Curators Pari Stave and Gavin Morrison invite visitors to join a guided tour of the exhibitions Affinities of Form: Artistic Convergences in Iceland since 1970 and The Architecture of Place: Hörður Ágústsson and Donald Judd.
Please note: the tour will be conducted in English.
Museum admission applies
Curators’ Tour: Affinities of Form & The Architecture of Place
Museum Night 2026
Museum Night · 6 February 2026 🎉
Save the date! 📢
Museum Night is just around the corner! The National Gallery of Iceland has put great emphasis on offering a strong and tightly curated programme for Museum Night, and this year is no exception. Explore the programme below and join us for an exciting evening at the museum.
Save the Date - Museum Night 2026!
Course 2026 – Einar Jónsson Museum
Adult Course
Drawing at the Einar Jónsson Museum
The Einar Jónsson Museum is a unique space, simultaneously the artist’s studio, exhibition gallery, and former home. Participants will explore Einar Jónsson’s visual world, from its largest sculpture — the museum itself — to individual works dispersed throughout its rooms and floors.
The course focuses on the fundamentals of drawing — form, line, and movement — working directly from observation. Emphasis will be placed on flow and creative drawing methods. The course is suitable both for beginners and for those wishing to deepen their drawing skills.
The course consists of two evening sessions, held on:
18 and 25 February, 5:15–7:00 pm
All materials are provided.
Instructor: Margrét H. Blöndal, visual artist
Information and registration here
Drawing at the Einar Jónsson Museum
Course 2026 – Einar Jónsson Museum
Adult Course
Perspectives on the Art of Einar Jónsson
Participants will explore the life and work of Einar Jónsson, a pioneer of Icelandic sculpture. The course is based on the book Seeing Souls, which places particular emphasis on the interpretation of the sculptor’s works. Attention will be given to the symbolic world of the sculptures and to how Einar Jónsson’s art reflected the national awakening and cultural discourse of his time.
The course offers participants an opportunity to view Einar Jónsson’s work in a new light and to gain a deeper understanding of his influence on Icelandic art history.
The course consists of two evening sessions, held on:
18 and 25 March, 5:15–7:00 pm
Instructor: Sigurður Trausti Traustason, former president of the board of the Einar Jónsson Museum
Information and registration here
Perspectives on the Art of Einar Jónsson
Museum Shop 2026 – National Gallery of Iceland
The National Gallery of Iceland Museum Shop is filled with carefully selected gift items, greeting cards, jewellery, posters, books, and more.
Among the treasures available in the museum shop are linen tablecloths, runners, and napkins adorned with works by Sölvi Helgason (1820–1895), or Sólon Íslandus, as he called himself. Sólon lived during a period of significant social restrictions in Iceland. He paid little heed to these rules and travelled the country as a self-taught artist. His works are characterised by intricate floral patterns and today form a valuable part of Icelandic art history and cultural heritage.
Sólon Íslandus - linen tablecloths, runners, and napkins