The Icelandic Folk and Outsider Art Museum

The Icelandic Folk and Outsider Art Museum is a unique museum in Iceland that focuses on outsider art, art brut, and folk art - while also embracing academically trained artists who pursue their own creative paths. The museum was founded in 1995 by Níels Hafstein and Magnhildur Sigurðardóttir, who, over the course of three decades, have achieved what once seemed unlikely: bringing folk art from the margins to the center. More than just an art museum, it serves as a cultural hub and guardian of artistic expression. The museum's mission and purpose is to collect, preserve, document, and research art created by individuals often referred to as naive artists or outliers. The work is evaluated on its own terms, regardless of social status, education, or fame, thus creating space for voices and perspectives that might otherwise be forgotten or excluded from conventional art collections. The museum places strong emphasis on ensuring that all works in the collection and exhibitions are treated equally - and has, from the beginning, worked systematically toward inclusion and diversity in all its policies. The Icelandic Folk and Outsider Art Museum is located in the village of Svalbarðseyri in North Iceland. The exhibition spaces are housed in two adjoining historic buildings tied to the village’s local heritage: one is the former elementary school and community center, and the other, built in 1900, originally served as the district’s first co-operative store. The museum features 10 galleries of varying sizes.