On Thursday, April 5, Pétur H. Ármannsson, architect and director of the Icelandic National Heritage Institute, will deliver the talk ""The most valuable and elaborate stone house in this country" - The Museum House from the perspective of Icelandic building history" in the lecture series Tímanna safn , which is being held on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the National Library of Iceland - University Library.

The abstract of the talk states:

"The Museum House on Hverfisgata was the main public building of the Home Rule years, built in 1906-9 according to the plans of the Danish architect Johannes Magdahl-Nielsen. The building itself and its reading room were tailored to the needs of the National Library, which was housed there in 1909-1994. It also housed the halls and storage facilities of the National Archives of Iceland, the Natural History Museum and the National Museum. In the opinion of many, the Museum House is one of the most beautiful works of architecture in this country. Its construction was an important milestone for Icelandic industry and industrial culture. The contractor for its construction was Icelandic and the craftsmen who worked on the building, but the design and supervision were in the hands of Danish master builders. The building is modeled after well-known bookshops in Copenhagen, Paris and Boston. On the Internet search pages, the Museum House appears as the best-known work of the architect Magdahl-Nielsen and the one that bears his name "He himself never saw with his own eyes this only building he designed outside his homeland, as far as is known."

The talk will be given in the National Library's lecture hall between 12:05 and 12:45.

You are all very welcome.

The lecture series on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/182997635779892/