Programme of the week
The National Gallery of Iceland and the Iceland Symphony Orchestra
Stand Still and Turn to Stone!
School Concerts at Eldborg
Today and tomorrow, the school concerts Stand Still and Turn to Stone take place with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra. The concerts are a collaborative project between the orchestra and the National Gallery of Iceland, in which artworks from the Gallery’s collection serve as the visual material for the concerts and are woven into a lively narrative by storyteller Ólafur Egilsson, who keeps young audiences captivated throughout. Thousands of children are invited to attend the concerts, which will also be livestreamed to schools in rural areas across the country.
In parallel with the concerts, an exhibition of the same name opens at the House of Collections on Hverfisgata, where teachers can book guided tours and learn more about Icelandic folk tales in visual art. The educational programme continues with the publication of new educational material for teachers on folk tales in a substantial book, which will be the third volume in the Gallery’s educational book series. The book launch will take place on 26 February at 3:00 pm.
The synergy between the Iceland Symphony Orchestra and the National Gallery of Iceland in educational work is significant, and the quality of presenting cultural content for children is undeniable. Thank you for a rewarding collaboration!
Tomorrow, Wednesday 11 February, the concert will be livestreamed to students across the country. The stream begins at 11:00 am and will be available at sinfonia.is.
Sinfóníuhljómsveit Íslands
Stay and Turn to Stone! | National Gallery of Iceland
Event | 11 February 2026 – National Gallery of Iceland
Quality Time at the National Gallery of Iceland
Director’s Guided Tour
You are warmly invited to a guided tour led by the Director of the National Gallery of Iceland of the exhibition The Architecture of Place – Hörður Ágústsson and Donald Judd, on Wednesday, 11 February at 2:00 pm.
In the exhibition The Architecture of Place, curator Gavin Morrison brings together works by the American artist Donald Judd and Hörður Ágústsson. Through their architectural drawings, the exhibition explores the shared efforts of the two artists to understand and articulate architecture within their immediate surroundings.
Quality Time events are designed for senior citizens. These gatherings combine specially tailored guided tours with informal conversations with the museum’s specialists about visual art, current exhibitions, and the Gallery’s activities. Coffee is always served at Quality Time events at the National Gallery of Iceland.
Regular museum admission applies.
Note that the event will be held in Icelandic.
Facebook event: (4) Gæðastundir: Staðarform | Leiðsögn sérfræðings | Facebook
More: Quality Time | National Gallery of Iceland
Quality Time at the National Gallery
Event | 14 February 2026 – The House of Collections
Krummi Kids’ Club
Art Workshop: Ghost Workshop 👻
You are warmly invited to a fun art workshop with the Krummi Kids’ Club at the House of Collections, on Saturday, 14 February, from 2:00–4:00 pm.
Ghosts are part of Icelandic folklore. We will explore the ghost-themed artworks in the exhibition Stand Still and Become Stone—especially the small pink-checked ghost by Bjargey Ólafsdóttir—and then create our own ghosts to take home with us, floating all the way!
Free for the whole family!
Facebook Event: (4) Krakkaklúbburinn Krummi – Bleikrósótti draugurinn 👻 | Facebook
More: For children of all ages | National Gallery of Iceland
Ghost Workshop
vent | 15 February 2026 – House of Collections
Symposium at the House of Collections
in Honour of Hrafnhildur Schram
The Icelandic Art History Association will host a symposium at the House of Collections on Hverfisgata on Sunday, 15 February 2026, from 2:00–4:00 pm, in honour of Hrafnhildur Schram (b. 1941).
Hrafnhildur was made an honorary member of the Icelandic Art History Association on 1 February in recognition of her work in the fields of art history, curatorial practice, and writing on visual art. On this occasion, a symposium will be held in her honour.
A range of presentations will be given by members of the Association, drawing on her research and professional work. Hrafnhildur’s remarkable life’s work has undeniably paved the way for younger art historians and exhibition makers in the field of visual art.
The symposium is open to all who are interested.
Note that the Symposium will be held in Icelandic
Facebook Event: (4) Málþing Listfræðafélags Íslands til heiðurs Hrafnhildi Schram | Facebook
More: Tilkynningar
Symposium at the House of Collections in Honour of Hrafnhildur Schram
Notice | 11 February 2026 – National Gallery of Iceland
Kaktus Espressobar 🌵
Kaktus Espressobar, the café at the National Gallery of Iceland on Fríkirkjuvegur, will be closed due to maintenance work on Monday 16 February and Tuesday 17 February.
Kaktus Espressobar losed due to maintenance work Monday & Tuesday
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 in the museum shop is a small reflective bag featuring a redesigned logo of the National Gallery of Iceland by designer Brynhildur Pálsdóttir. The bag has a reflective surface that is visible in the dark and can be worn both as a shoulder bag and carried as a handbag.
Find it here: REFLECTIVE Small Weekender - Sprinkle | Listasafn Íslands
Browse the Webstore here
Sólon Íslandus - linen tablecloths, runners, and napkins