Húsið Eyrarbakki
About Húsið Eyrarbakki
Húsið, which simply means "The House," is a timber merchant's home from 1765 in the seaside village of Eyrarbakki on Iceland's south coast. It was shipped over as a kit house for the manager of the Danish trading company's store, and merchant families lived in it for about two centuries. Today it is the main building of the Árnessýsla Heritage Museum, about an hour's drive from Reykjavík.
In the 1700s and 1800s Eyrarbakki was the main trading port of south Iceland, serving a district that reached as far east as Lómagnúpur. Húsið sat at the center of that trade, and new music, books and fashions from abroad came through its doors long before they reached most farms. A connecting annex joins it to the Assistant's House, added in 1881 for the store's clerks.
Inside, the old rooms show how the merchant households lived, together with exhibits on the history of Árnessýsla county. North of the house, the restored Egg House holds the bird and egg collection of Peter Nielsen, who managed the store around 1900. The museum's other buildings, including the Maritime Museum with the last rowing boat built in Eyrarbakki, are a short walk along the village streets.
Húsið is open daily from May 1 to September 30, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and outside that season it opens only on selected days. Adult admission is ISK 1,800, seniors pay ISK 1,400 and visitors under 18 get in free. Plan on one to two hours for the house and the nearby museum buildings.
Eyrarbakki is about 15 minutes from Selfoss, so the house makes an easy detour on a south coast drive. Heading back to Reykjavík, you can take Route 39 over the Þrengsli pass, which runs right past the Raufarhólshellir lava tunnel.
Good to know
What is Húsið in Eyrarbakki?
Húsið is a merchant's house built in 1765 that is now the main exhibition building of the Árnessýsla Heritage Museum. Its rooms show how Eyrarbakki's merchant families lived when the village was south Iceland's main trading port.
How old is Húsið?
The house dates from 1765, when it was shipped to Eyrarbakki as a kit house for the trading company's store manager. That makes it one of the oldest timber houses in Iceland.
What are Húsið's opening hours?
The museum is open daily from May 1 to September 30, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Outside that season it opens only on selected days, and groups can arrange visits.
How much does it cost to visit Húsið?
Adult admission is ISK 1,800 and seniors pay ISK 1,400. Visitors under 18 and people with disabilities get in free.
How far is Eyrarbakki from Reykjavík?
Eyrarbakki is about an hour's drive from Reykjavík and about 15 minutes south of Selfoss on the coast.
What is in the Egg House at Eyrarbakki?
The Egg House, just north of Húsið, holds a natural history exhibition built around the bird and egg collection of Peter Nielsen, who managed the Eyrarbakki store around 1900.
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