Guided Tour: Iceland's Upper Class in the 18th Century [Icelandic]

The National Museum of Iceland offers exciting events every Sunday throughout the winter and spring months. The first Sunday of each month is dedicated to activities for children and families, while other Sundays feature expert-guided tours of the museum's exhibitions. On the last Sunday of each month, the guided tour is conducted in a foreign language.

Ágústa Kristófersdóttir, Director of Collections at the National Museum of Iceland, will lead visitors through the exhibition A Voyage in History - The Bridal Costume. She will share stories of the people who owned and wore the costume, and those who eventually sent it abroad. What was life like for Iceland's wealthy elite in the 18th century?

The bridal costume belonged to women of the Stephensen family, which became one of Iceland's wealthiest and most powerful families during this period. The family's matriarch, Sigríður Magnúsdóttir, wore parts of the costume at her wedding to Ólafur Stefánsson, later Governor of Iceland (stiftamtmaður), in 1761. Their eldest daughter, Þórunn, received parts of the costume as part of her dowry in 1780 when she married Bishop Hannes Finnsson. The costume later passed into the possession of Ragnheiður, Þórunn's younger sister. The costume was considered so exquisite that whenever foreign visitors arrived, it was brought out and displayed to them. Some of these visitors found the clothing rather unusual.

Please note that the event is in Icelandic.

Admission to the event is included in the museum entrance fee. Please note that every admission ticket also serves as an annual pass, providing access to all exhibitions and events organised by the museum upon presentation of the pass. Admission to exhibitions and events is free for children under 18.

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