Nonnahús (Nonni's House)
About Nonnahús (Nonni's House)
Nonnahús, or Nonni's House, is a small museum in the childhood home of the writer Jón Sveinsson in Innbærinn, the old town at the south end of Akureyri. Built in 1850, the black timber house is one of the oldest in Akureyri, and it sits a few steps from the Akureyri Museum on Aðalstræti.
Jón Sveinsson was born in 1857 at Möðruvellir in Hörgárdalur, and his family moved into this house in 1865. He left Iceland at 12 to study abroad, became a Jesuit priest and spent most of his life in Europe. Writing in German under the name Nonni, he turned his Icelandic boyhood into 12 children's books that were translated into dozens of languages.
Inside, the exhibition centers on Nonni's books, shown in a long list of editions that runs from Chinese to Esperanto. Several titles are on sale in different languages if you want one to take home. The house belonged to the Zonta Club of Akureyri from 1957 until 2008, when it passed to the town, and the Akureyri Museum runs it today.
From June 1 to September 30, Nonnahús is open daily from 11:00 to 17:00, and from October 1 to May 31 daily from 13:00 to 16:00. One ticket covers all seven sites of the Akureyri Museum for a full year: 2,800 ISK for adults, 2,200 ISK for seniors and free for visitors under 18. Half an hour is enough for the house itself.
Nonni's House is a 20 to 30 minute walk south of the town center along the shore, which makes it an easy outing for cruise passengers with a few hours in port. Pair it with the Akureyri Museum next door and a slow walk past the old wooden houses of Innbærinn on the way back.
Good to know
Who was Nonni?
Nonni was the pen name of Jón Sveinsson (1857–1944), an Icelandic Jesuit priest who wrote 12 children's books in German about his boyhood in Iceland. The books were translated into dozens of languages.
Where is Nonni's House in Akureyri?
Nonnahús is at Aðalstræti 54 in Innbærinn, the old town at the south end of Akureyri, next to the Akureyri Museum. It is a 20 to 30 minute walk from the town center.
What are the opening hours of Nonnahús?
From June 1 to September 30 it is open daily from 11:00 to 17:00. From October 1 to May 31 it opens daily from 13:00 to 16:00, and it is closed on major holidays such as Christmas and New Year's Day.
How much does it cost to visit Nonni's House?
A combined ticket of 2,800 ISK covers Nonnahús and the other six Akureyri Museum sites for a full year. Seniors pay 2,200 ISK, and visitors under 18 get in free.
How old is Nonnahús?
The house was built in 1850 and is one of the oldest houses in Akureyri. Jón Sveinsson lived there with his family from 1865 until he left Iceland in 1870.
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