The National Library of Iceland's manuscript collection turned 170 years old in 2016, having been founded on June 5, 1846. To mark the occasion, an exhibition was opened on May 17, 2016 at the reception of the Icelandic National Museum, where you can see a sample of what the collection contains, as well as cartons, boxes, bags and other packaging in which the manuscripts have come.

The beginnings of the manuscript collection can be traced back to Jón Halldórsson (1665–1736), provost in Hítardalur, who was a great scholar.

After Jón's death, his son, Finnur (1704–1789), bishop of Skálholt, took over.