This impressive open-air museum was once a functioning farm as well as a popular resting place for people on their way to and from Reykjavík. It was transformed into a museum in the 1950s in an attempt to preserve something of an old Reykjavík that was disappearing quickly due to postwar developments. Today the original farm is supplemented by around 20 buildings, most of which have been relocated from central Reykjavík, including a grass-roofed timber house from the late 19th century. The ensemble forms a small village, complete with a village square. On display are several exhibitions pertaining to older periods of Reykjavík’s history, including antique farm machinery and a slew of domestic animals that call the place home. There are also regular events along the same theme.
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Árbær Open Air Museum
A deliciously nostalgic ode to a simpler time, the open-air museum was created in 1957 out of a fear for the loss of ‘old Reykjavík’ and its rural charms. Constructed from the remains of abandoned farm buildings, the museum features guides dressed in period gear and walk-in reconstructions of old houses, giving insight into the working life, living conditions, and recreational activities of past generations.
Árbær Open Air Museum
A deliciously nostalgic ode to a simpler time, the open-air museum was created in 1957 out of a fear for the loss of ‘old Reykjavík’ and its rural charms. Constructed from the remains of abandoned farm buildings, the museum features guides dressed in period costume and walk-in reconstructions of old houses, giving insight into the working life, living conditions and recreational activities of past generations.
