About the Institute

The Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies is an independently funded academic research institute at the University of Iceland, operating under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture, Innovation and Higher Education. Its role is to:

conduct research in the field of Icelandic studies and related scholarly disciplines, in particular Icelandic language and literature;
disseminate knowledge in these fields; and
preserve and augment the collections entrusted to its care.

The director of the Institute is Guðrún Nordal, professor in medieval Icelandic literature.

The History of the Árni Magnússon collection

Find out about the man that has given his name to the institution and his historic manuscript collection.

Board of Directors

Every four years the Ministry of Culture, Innovation and Higher Education appoints a five-member board to oversee the Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies. Three directors are nominated by the University Council of the University of Iceland, while two are appointed directly by the Ministry, one of whom acts as chairperson.

The Institute’s current Board of Directors:

Illugi Gunnarsson, chairperson, former member of the Icelandic parliament Althingi

Sigrún Magnúsdóttir, vice-chair, former Minister

Guðrún Þórhallsdóttir, associate professor

Torfi Tulinius, professor

Guðrún Dröfn Whitehead, professor