Hafnarborg

Hafnarborg exhibits works by leading Icelandic and international artists and the exhibition program displays both contemporary and established artists from the 20th century. Located at Strandgata 34 in the downtown of Hafnarfjörður, Iceland and it is easily accessible by bus number 1 from Iceland's capital city Reykjavik.

• Name — Hafnarborg, The Hafnarfjordur Centre of Culture and Fine Art. • Native Name — Hafnarborg, Menningar- og listamiðstöð Hafnarfjarðar. • Type — Art Museum • Location — Strandgata 34, 220 Hafnarfjörður, Iceland • Collection Size — 1400 • Visitors — 64,400 (2013) • Director — Ágústa Kristófersdóttir • Public Transit — Hafnarfjörður/Fjörður Shopping mall • Website — hafnarborg.is

In May 1988 when Hafnarborg was opened, the founder of the museum, Dr. Sverrir Magnússon, was asked for whom the museum should be and his answer was that it should be for the inhabitants of the town, the generation that helped create these valuables and for their children and grandchildren. The museum seeks to attract a variety of visitors, both Icelanders and tourists. Access to Hafnarborg is not limited by age and the museum seeks to reach out to wider audiences with various backgrounds.

Purpose and role The purpose of Hafnarborg, the Hafnarfjordur Centre of Culture and Fine Art is to promote cultural and diverse life in Hafnarfjörður, the town it is located in. The role of the museum is to collect and preserve the town's art collection and also to research and exhibit pieces in the collection regularly. The museum should strive to make the collection visible to the public so that the cultural heritage of the town can be enjoyed and become a part of the Icelandic history of culture and art. The museum operates according to its constitution and in accordance with the town's cultural policy, museum law and protocol of the International Council of Museums. Main objective / goals The museum's goals include the following: • That quality and boldness characterize the program of the museum, which will contribute to a positive image of the town and its resident's self-identity. • That exhibitions and events in the museum reflect diversity and change in contemporary art. • Art events should be well presented and a visit to the museum should be a part of the daily lives of the local residents where they can be educated, entertained and have an interesting experience of the arts. • Art education should be focused to reach students at all levels and a visit to Hafnarborg should be a desirable option that strengthens progress in education. • The museum should be in collaboration with artists, museums and other cultural institutions domestically and internationally. The museum is run as one of the town's institutions but has independent financing and its own board and art council. The director of Hafnarborg is Ágústa Kristófersdóttir Hafnarborg's board of directors are Almar Grímsson, Guðrún Ágústa Guðmundsdóttir and Lúðvík Geirsson. Hafnarborg's art council are Jónína Guðnadóttir, Þorbjörg Br. Gunnarsdóttir and Brynhildur Pálsdóttir.

Two museum educators work in Hafnarborg and guided tours are available upon request. In the museum's policy a great emphasis is placed on education and that it should host a dynamic educational program in connection with its exhibitions. The education in the museum involves developing critical, conceptual and analytical skills while engaging with art in the museum. The aim is to support education in schools by keeping the national curriculum in mind. Furthermore, the museum seeks to develop a base for discussion and debates where personal experience can be used as a starting point to interpret and analyze.

Hafnarborg has been an active center for art and cultural events and the museum is a popular venue for musicians and singers and the total number of concerts runs to many hundreds. Concerts have formed an important part of Hafnarborg's programme. The Museum cooperated in the years 1990 – 2012 with Tríó Reykjavíkur, one of Iceland's most respected chamber groups which played in concerts in Hafnarborg multiple times every year during that period. Another important concert series is the Noon Concerts, which is a half an hour concert held once a month on a Tuesday at noon. The artistic director of the Noon Concerts is Antonia Hevesi. The museum holds frequent art workshops and courses for children, guided tours, lectures, openings and a competition to become a curator for the autumn exhibition.