A Voyage in History - The Bridal Costume

One of the most magnificent bridal costumes in Iceland’s history is to be the highlight of an exhibition in the Arc Hall at the National Museum of Iceland. The costume, dating primarily from the late 18th century, was believed to have been lost in a shipwreck off the south of Iceland. Documentary evidence of the costume existed, and in 1866 Sigurður Guðmundsson “the Painter,” curator and advocate for the establishment of the National Museum and pioneer of the revival of Icelandic costumes, wrote: “That was all lost off the south of the country in 1809, with Englishmen. Our land has utterly lost these objects, and now there is no hope that such fine things may be obtained here in Iceland, or even examples of such objects.”

Later it was discovered that the costume was not lost at sea, but its whereabouts were unknown. In 1963, Elsa E. Guðjónsson, textile and costume specialist, discovered it in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Six years later it was loaned to the National Museum of Iceland for an exhibition, and now it is to return.

The costume has an extraordinary and complex history, that almost defies belief.

- How did this magnificent costume come to be aboard an English ship that caught fire off the Icelandic coast in 1809?
- How did it reach one of England’s leading museums?
- What was the role of Jørgen Jørgensen, the colourful character who was later briefly “protector” or “king” of Iceland, in rescuing the costume from the wreck?
- What is a faldbúningur costume? What makes this one a bridal costume?
- Who owned and wore the extraordinary costume?
- Who was the woman known as Mother of Flowers? Did she embroider any parts of the costume?
- Do any similar costumes exist in Iceland?

The answers to these questions are presented in the exhibition THE BRIDAL COSTUME at the National Museum of Iceland. This is a unique opportunity to see the costume and learn about its extraordinary story from the 18th century until today.

Artist Kristjana S. Williams interprets the bridal costume’s fateful story through a visual presentation among the objects in the exhibition space.

The exhibition will open on May 9th, 2026, and remain open for a year.

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Exhibition committee

Freyja Hlíðkvist Ómarsdóttir Sesseljudóttir

Karólína Stefánsdóttir

Harpa Þórsdóttir

Ágústa Kristófersdóttir

Kristín Ýr Hrafnkelsdóttir

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Curators

Freyja Hlíðkvist Ómarsdóttir Sesseljudóttir

Karólína Stefánsdóttir

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Art works

Kristjana S Williams Studio

Kristjana S. Williams

Souhyung Kim senior designer

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Exhibition texts

Ágústa Kristófersdóttir

Freyja Hlíðkvist Ómarsdóttir Sesseljudóttir

Karólína Stefánsdóttir

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Proofreading

Embla Ýr Bárudóttir

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English translations

Anna Yates

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Specialists

Ólöf Bjarnadóttir, registrar

Sandra Sif Einarsdóttir, conservator

Þórir Ingvarsson, conservator  

Ívar Brynjólfsson, photographer

Guðrún Hildur Rósenkær,  specialist

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Head of marketing

Ragnheiður Skúladóttir

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Programme of events

Helga Vollertsen

Arna Björg Bjarnadóttir

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Graphic design

E&Co

Einar Geir Ingvarsson

Elís Gunnarsdóttir

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Lighting design

Hildiberg

Kristján Kristjánsson

Kjartan Óskarsson

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Construction/installation

Verkstæðið ehf.

Pétur Örn Friðriksson

Tonie Zetterström

Bræðurnir Baldurson

Gunnar Örn Gunnarsson

Vilhjálmur H. Ólafsson

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The National Museum of Iceland expresses its thanks to the government of Iceland for its support in the creation of this exhibition.

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Grateful thanks for assistance and for the loan of objects for the exhibition:

Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Annríki – Þjóðbúningar og skart: Guðrún Hildur Rosenkjær and Ásmundur Kristjánsson

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