Reykjavik Art Museum Hafnarhus

What Reykjavik Art Museum Hafnarhus does

Listasafn Reykjavíkur (Reykjavik Art Museum) is Iceland's leading art museum and a municipal cultural institution owned and operated by Reykjavikurborg, the City of Reykjavik. Founded in 1973 with the donation of Jóhannes S. Kjarval's collection, the museum today operates three buildings in downtown Reykjavik—Hafnarhús (Tryggvagata 17, opened 2000), Kjarvalsstaðir (Flókagata 24), and Ásmundarsafn (Sigtún 105)—jointly housing more than 17,000 works primarily by 20th- and 21st-century Icelandic artists, with anchor permanent collections of Erró, Kjarval, and Ásmundur Sveinsson. It serves general public visitors, school groups, tourists, Icelandic and international artists, and cultural institutions, mounting 15–20 exhibitions per year, hosting ~200 public events, and receiving over 10,000 student visits annually.

The museum generates revenue through four primary streams: admission tickets across its three venues, sales through a Shopify-powered museum store (books, reproductions, merchandise, and crafts), educational programs including fee-based summer courses and the HEIMA program for refugee youth, and rental of museum halls and event spaces. Its go-to-market is omnichannel: a content-rich website (listasafnreykjavikur.is), Instagram and Facebook presence, email newsletters, and partnerships with Iceland's major cultural festivals (Iceland Airwaves, Listahátíð, HönnunarMars, Menningarnótt, Safnanótt). Distribution is anchored in physical ticket sales and school group bookings domestically, with a global Shopify storefront and growing international touring of the Erró collection (e.g., Brazil 2026).

Underlying technology consists of an exhibition management system, e-commerce infrastructure, and standard social platforms; no proprietary AI, APIs, or SDKs are disclosed. Recent strategic emphasis has shifted toward international visibility (Iceland's first Venice Architecture Biennale contribution in 2025, Vogue Scandinavia selection), cross-institutional programming with the National Gallery of Iceland, public-art urban curatorial work, and expanded educational outreach to underserved communities. The institution is led by Museum Director Markús Þór Andrésson, who took over on September 1, 2025.

Name

Reykjavik Art Museum Hafnarhus

Legal name

Listasafn Reykjavíkur

Website

https://listasafnreykjavikur.is

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Reykjavik Art Museum (Listasafn Reykjavíkur) is Iceland's municipally owned art institution operating three downtown venues housing 17,000+ works and serving general public visitors, school groups, tourists, and Icelandic and international artists through exhibitions, education, and retail.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Art Museum Services

NAICS

Museums (71211), Museums (712110), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Art Museums (THAJADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit) (THAJADAH), Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG), Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty) (BPAGAHAA)

Keywords

• Art museum exhibitions
• Contemporary art curation
• Icelandic art collection
• Art education programs
• Public art management

Headquarters

HQ city

Reykjavik

HQ country

Iceland

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Admission tickets: Visitors pay for entry tickets to exhibitions across all three museum locations
2. Museum store sales: Sale of art books, reproductions, sculptures, merchandise, and crafts through physical and online store
3. Educational programs and workshops: Fees charged for summer courses, workshops, and educational programs for children and adults
4. Space rental: Rental of museum spaces and halls for events and private functions

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Reykjavik Art Museum operates three physical exhibition venues in central Reykjavik (Hafnarhús, Kjarvalsstaðir, Ásmundarsafn) that display more than 17,000 artworks by Icelandic and international artists, with the Erró, Kjarval, and Ásmundur Sveinsson permanent collections at its core. It generates revenue through admission tickets, a gift shop (books, reproductions, merchandise), fee-based educational courses and summer programs, and rental of museum halls for events.

Product overview

Reykjavik Art Museum operates as a unified institution across three locations in downtown Reykjavik - Hafnarhús, Kjarvalsstaðir, and Ásmundarsafn. The museum houses significant permanent collections including the Erró Collection (approximately 4,000 works), the Kjarval Collection, and the Ásmundur Sveinsson Collection, totaling over 17,000 works. The museum offers public art management services, educational programs including summer courses and the HEIMA program for immigrant youth, manages the Guðmundur S. Kristinsdóttir Art Fund for women artists, and operates a gift shop selling books, sculpture reproductions, and Icelandic design products. Fifteen to twenty exhibitions of varying sizes are opened annually across the three venues.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Errósafn (Erró Collection): The permanent collection and exhibition space dedicated to Erró's works at Hafnarhús
• Listasjóður Guðmundu S. Kristinsdóttur

Products and services

• Hafnarhús Exhibition Venue Primary location of Reykjavik Art Museum focusing on contemporary art exhibitions featuring Icelandic and international contemporary artists, and home to the Erró Collection. Six exhibition halls plus a multi-purpose hall. Open daily 10:00-17:00 with Thursday late hours until 22:00.
• Kjarvalsstaðir Exhibition Venue Exhibition venue dedicated to Jóhannes S. Kjarval and other prominent domestic and international artists. The first purpose-built art exhibition building in Iceland. Open daily 10:00-17:00, includes a café/restaurant.
• Ásmundarsafn Exhibition Venue Sculpture museum dedicated to Ásmundur Sveinsson, housed in the sculptor's former home and studio. Features a distinctive dome building and outdoor sculpture garden. Open daily 13:00-17:00.
• Erró Collection Permanent collection of approximately 4,000 works by Icelandic pop artist Erró (Guðmundur Guðmundsson), known for pop art and narrative figuration. Displayed at Hafnarhús.
• Jóhannes S. Kjarval Collection Extensive collection of works by Iceland's beloved painter Jóhannes S. Kjarval (1885-1972), spanning his artistic career and reflecting the development of Icelandic art. Displayed at Kjarvalsstaðir.
• Ásmundur Sveinsson Collection Sculpture collection of Ásmundur Sveinsson (1893-1982), pioneer of Icelandic sculpture, including works displayed indoors and in the Ásmundarsafn garden.
• Summer Art Courses for Children Creative art and play courses for children during summer, including programs at Ásmundarsafn, Kjarvalsstaðir, and Viðey island.
• HEIMA Art Course Weekly art course for youth aged 12-14 who received international protection in Iceland, offered in Arabic and Ukrainian at the museum's three locations. Co-organized with Barnaheilla (Save the Children Iceland) and GETU support association.
• Museum Gift Shop (Verslun) Museum shop selling art books, sculpture reproductions, posters, gift items, Icelandic design products, annual passes, and merchandise featuring artworks from the collection. Operates physical locations and a global online store via Shopify.
• Public Art Management Service Municipal service managing public artworks throughout Reykjavik, including competitions for public art installations such as the Orkureit project and the Auglýsingahlé digital billboard art exhibition across 550+ screens.
• Guðmundur S. Kristinsdóttir Art Fund (Listasjóður) Annual fund established by Erró in memory of his maternal cousin, awarding outstanding women artists in Iceland with the highest recognition in the field.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 10,000 students visit annually from all school levels
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Miðstöð hönnunar og arkitektúrs (Centre of Design and Architecture)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 January 2025Partnership for Lavaforming exhibition - Iceland's contribution to the Venice Architecture Biennale 2025. Markús Þór Andrésson serves as expert consultant for the exhibition setup at Reykjavik Art Museum. First time Iceland participates in Architecture Biennale.
• Barnaheilla - Save the Children IcelandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on HEIMA art program for refugee youth aged 12-14 who received international protection in Iceland. Program teaches art in Arabic and Ukrainian, concluding with exhibition at Children's Culture Festival.
• GETU hjálparsamtök (GETA support association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on HEIMA art program for refugee youth, providing support services alongside museum education
• Listasafn Íslands (National Gallery of Iceland)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint organization of major surveys including Steina Vasulka retrospective (2025-2026) spanning both national institutions. First major collaboration in twenty years since Dieter Roth exhibition in 2005.
• Y galleryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner for Billboard Auglýsingahlé public art competition, co-organizing annual digital billboard art exhibition
• BillboardminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for Auglýsingahlé public art project displaying selected artwork on 550+ digital screens across Reykjavik during January 1-3 each year
• Reykjavikurborg (City of Reykjavik)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal ownership and funding, collaboration on European Climate Cities project with Oslo and Cluj-Napoca. Manages public art throughout the city.
• Iceland AirwavesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual music festival partnership - museum participates in Reykjavik's major cultural festival programming
• Listahátíð í Reykjavík (Reykjavik Arts Festival)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual arts festival - key partner for cultural programming and cross-institution events
• HönnunarMars (Design March)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual design festival - partnership for design-focused exhibitions and events
• Menningarnótt í Reykjavík (Culture Night)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual city-wide culture night - museum participates with special programming and late opening
• Safnanótt (Museum Night)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual coordinated museum night event across Reykjavik museums
• Iberê Camargo Foundation (Brazil)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Erró exhibition at Iberê Camargo museum in Porto Alegre, Brazil - first Erró exhibition in Brazil, curated by Reykjavik Art Museum's Danielle Kvaran

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• ARKEN Museum of Modern Art: Danish museum of modern art with a strong permanent collection and major temporary exhibitions, drawing on both Danish and international artists. Comparable as a publicly funded Nordic modern art institution with a similar mix of permanent collection, exhibitions, and educational outreach.
• Louisiana Museum of Modern Art: Denmark's leading modern art museum located north of Copenhagen, with a strong permanent collection, rotating exhibitions, and educational programming. Highly comparable as a Nordic publicly funded art museum combining permanent collection, temporary exhibitions, and tourism-driven visitation.
• Henie Onstad Kunstsenter: Norway's major private foundation art museum at Høvikodden, presenting modern and contemporary art with a notable permanent collection. Comparable as a Nordic modern/contemporary art institution with strong educational programs and a similar revenue mix of admissions, courses, and retail.
• Moderna Museet: Sweden's national museum of modern art in Stockholm, presenting 20th- and 21st-century art with a major permanent collection and high exhibition turnover. Comparable as a Nordic public art museum with international programming, similar educational mission, and similar scale of operations and partnerships.
• Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art: Helsinki-based contemporary art museum operated by the City of Helsinki, focused on international contemporary art with strong educational programs. Comparable as a Nordic municipal contemporary art museum combining permanent collection, temporary exhibitions, and public education.
• Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art: Oslo-based private museum of contemporary art with major temporary exhibitions and a permanent collection anchored by international contemporary artists. Comparable as a Nordic contemporary art museum that pairs a permanent collection with high-turnover international exhibitions.
• Listasafn Íslands (National Gallery of Iceland): Iceland's national art museum, covering 19th- to 21st-century Icelandic art with the country's most comprehensive collection. Directly comparable as a peer Icelandic art museum; the two institutions recently collaborated on the Steina Vasulka retrospective and overlap significantly on collection scope and exhibitions.

Broad incumbents

• Tate Modern: London's leading museum of modern and contemporary art, presenting international exhibitions and holding a major permanent collection. Comparable as a publicly supported modern art museum with a similar revenue model (admissions, store, courses, space rental) but operating at materially larger scale.
• MoMA (Museum of Modern Art): New York's preeminent modern art museum, combining a canonical permanent collection with blockbuster temporary exhibitions. Comparable as a major modern art museum with diversified revenue (admissions, retail, courses, licensing), though operating at substantially larger scale and footprint.
• Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris: City of Paris municipal museum of modern and contemporary art with a major 20th-century permanent collection and temporary exhibitions. Comparable as a publicly owned European city art museum with a similar mandate combining permanent collection, temporary exhibitions, and cultural programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/listasafnreykjavikur
• Instagraminstagram.com/reykjavikartmuseum
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/reykjavik-art-museum-hafnarhus

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Reykjavik Art Museum Hafnarhus