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Offered languages
- English
What makes Old Icelandic Books truly special is its authenticity and rarity. This is the only place in the country where you have the opportunity to handle those rare books and manuscripts.
This is not a standard museum exhibition behind glass cases.
Visitors encounter genuine antiquarian Icelandic Books and manuscripts-objects that have survived centuries in a country were literature became the backbone of national identity.
The experience is intimate and personal. It's guided directly by Thor, the guardian of the books that restores the books himself, offering first-hand insight into preservation, provenance and historical context.
The Collection connects directly to the literary tradition that produced works like the 'Prose Edda' and 'the Poetic Edda', texts that shaped global understanding of Norse mythology and influenced writers such as J.R.R. Tolkien and composers like Richard Wagner.
The experience combines scholarship, restoration expertise and cultural depth.
What's Included
Meeting and pickup
You go inside the store called "Loðvinir" that means "fluffy friends" (the store with the fluffy animals in the window). There is a sign of Old Icelandic Books in the window. You go inside the store and you'll meet a person at the register that will greet you.
What to expect
The activity starts with the story of the project Old Icelandic Books, how it all started with just one book and how it saves the cultural heritage of Icelanders. The activity is guided by knowledgeable storyteller, visitors are introduced to the sagas as living historical sources, texts that form the foundation of the world’s understanding of Norse mythology, Viking beliefs and the realities of life in the Viking age.
The exhibition explores how these remarkable narratives preserve accounts of exploration, law and honor, conflict, poetry and everyday life in medieval Iceland.
Through engaging explanation and close interaction with rare historical material, guests gain insight into how the sagas where written, why they survived and how they shaped global ideas of Vikings far beyond Scandinavia.
Additional info
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
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Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Cancellation Policy
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
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