Iceland (Lonely Planet, 7th Edition) - Fran Parnell [173]
Museums
Akureyri has several museums, and although it’s laudable that the town celebrates its artists and authors, many of these institutions are of limited interest unless you have a particular admiration for a specific artist’s work. If you have your own vehicle, consider visiting some of greater Eyjafjörður’s museums flanking the eastern and western shores.
The Akureyri Museum (Minjasafnið á Akureyri; Map Click here; 462 4162; www.minjasafnid.is; Aðalstræti 58; adult/under 16yr Ikr500/free; 10am-5pm daily Jun–mid-Sep, 2-4pm Sat mid-Sep–May) houses an interesting collection of art and historical items from the Settlement Era to the present. Among the displays are photographs, farming tools and re-creations of early Icelandic homes. An interesting exhibit details the life of early settlers along Eyjafjörður and displays artefacts from Gásir, one of Iceland’s most fruitful archaeological digs. Plans are afoot to turn the site (near Árskógsströnd) into an interactive historical attraction. Stay tuned for details. The museum garden became the first place in Iceland to cultivate trees when a nursery was established here in 1899.
Escape the bad weather with a little browse at the Akureyri Art Museum (Listasafnið á Akureyeri; Map Click here; 462 2610; www.listasafn.akureyri.is; Kaupvangsstræti 12; admission free; noon-5pm Tue-Sun). The emphasis is innovation, so expect sophisticated contributions from of a variety of local and international artists from Goya to Matthew Barney (Mr Björk).
In a hangar at Akureyri airport, the newly improved Icelandic Aviation Museum (Flugsafn Íslands; Map Click here; 461 4400; www.flugsafn.is; admission Ikr500; 1-5pm Jun-Aug, by appointment Sep-May) charts the history of aviation in Iceland, from the first flight in 1919 to the present. Several restored aircraft fill the exhibition space, including a coast-guard helicopter and the remains of a British war craft that crashed near Akureyri during WWII.
Celebrating 100 years of industry, the Akureyri Industrial Museum (Iðnaðarsafnið á Akureyri; off Map Click here; 462 3600; www.idnadarsafnid.is; Krókeyri; adult/under 16yr Ikr500/free; 1-5pm Jun–mid-Sep, 2-4pm Sat mid-Sep-May) gives a bit of insight into Akureyri’s past, with artefacts from more than 40 local companies.
The most interesting of the artists’ homes, Nonnahús (Map Click here; 462 3555; www.nonni.is; Aðalstræti 54; adult/under 16yr Ikr500/free; 10am-5pm Jun-Aug) was once the childhood home of the renowned children’s writer Reverend Jón Sveinsson (1857–1944), known to most as Nonni. The house dates from 1850; its cramped rooms and simple furnishings provide a poignant insight into life in 19th-century Iceland. A collection of old photographs and original books completes the display.
Situated beside the Akureyrarkirkja stairs, the Matthías Jochumsson Memorial Museum (Sigurhæðir; Map Click here; 466 2609; Hafnarstræti; www.listagil.akureyri.is; adult Ikr500; 3-5pm Mon-Fri Jun-Aug) honours the former Icelandic poet laureate and dramatist.
Northwest of the centre, Davíðshús (Map Click here; 466 2609; Bjarkarstígur 6; admission Ikr200; 1-2.30pm Mon-Fri Jun-Aug) looks much like it did on the day that Icelandic poet laureate DavíÐ Stefánsson died in 1964. The lower floor serves as a writers’ retreat.
Botanical Gardens
A host of exotic species from as far away as New Zealand, Spain and Tanzania flourish in Akureyri’s botanical gardens, Lystigarðurinn (Map Click here; 462 7487; Eyrarlandsholt; admission free; 8am-10pm Mon-Fri, 9am-10pm Sat & Sun Jun-Sep), thanks to the region’s moderate microclimate. The wealth of plant life on display is truly astonishing considering the gardens’ proximity to the Arctic Circle. You’ll find examples of every species native to Iceland here, as well as an extensive collection of high-latitude and high-altitude plants from around the world, all meticulously labelled with scientific