Menningarnótt 2026: Leiðsögn um sýninguna „Með sögu í farangrinum – Brúðarbúningurinn" 🦋

Culture Night, 3:00 p.m. – Guided Tour: A Voyage in History – The Bridal Costume 🦋

Join Guðrún Hildur Rosenkjær, historian and master dress and costume maker, for a special guided tour exploring the craftsmanship behind the Bridal Costume. She will share the most significant discoveries from her research, offering unique insights into the garment's construction, materials, and sewing techniques.

Long believed to have been lost in a shipwreck off the coast of Iceland in 1809, one of the most elaborate women's costumes in Icelandic history was unexpectedly rediscovered in 1963 in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. This remarkable find marked a turning point in the study of historic Icelandic costume.

For many years, Guðrún Hildur has devoted her work to the research, reconstruction, and interpretation of Icelandic dress. Combining meticulous archival research with hands-on experimental reconstruction, she recreates garments, textiles, and historical techniques to answer questions that written sources alone cannot. Working alongside goldsmith Ásmundur Kristjánsson, who recreated the costume's jewellery, she has undertaken an in-depth study of the Bridal Costume, contributing significant new knowledge about its construction and materials.

Guðrún Hildur has also researched the life of Guðrún Skúladóttir, known as the "Mother of Flowers", who was celebrated for her exceptional needlework. Several of her works are preserved in the National Museum of Iceland, including the skirt featured in the Bridal Costume on display. During the tour, Guðrún Hildur will discuss her key research findings, explain the intricate craftsmanship behind the costume, and highlight the social position of Guðrún Skúladóttir and other women of her time.

Admission is free for all visitors throughout Culture Night.