Eyrarbakki is a small village in the south coast of Iceland with a long history. It was an important trading place and for centuries the harbor at Eyrarbakki was the main port in the south of the country. When the Danish merchants were allowed to overwinter, for the first time in Iceland in 1765 they built a house in the village center to accommodate the factor and his family. It is a wooden building with characteristics of Danish architecture. For two centuries this house was a center for culture and art, which spread through the county. The commercial building itself (a warehouse), Vesturbúð located on the west side was unfortunately torn down in 1950. Fishing became a more important occupation after 1855 when the Danish–Icelandic Trade Monopoly was abolished and patterns of settlement changed greatly. The village's heyday was from the mid-19th century to the early 20th century but with improved public transport and occupational opportunities the number of inhabitants decreased. Because of that, many houses from 1890 to 1920 have been preserved; those little houses of the common people characterize the village. Not far from the Folk Museum is the church (1890) where the altarpiece is worthy of notice. It is given and painted by the Danish queen Louise of Hesse-Kassel. Administration Staff Head of administration: Lýður Pálsson (since 1993) Curator: Linda Ásdísardóttir Addresses The Árnesinga Folk Museum, The House at Eyrarbakki, Eyrargata 50, 820 Eyrarbakki, tel: 00354 483 1504 The Maritime Museum Eyrarbakki, Túngata 59, 820 Eyrarbakki, tel: 00354 483 1273 The Árnesinga Folk Museum, Service building, Hafnarbúð 3, 820 Eyrarbakki, tel: 00354 483 1082 References External links The Arnesinga Folk Museum official website Byggðasafn Árnesinga The House at Eyrarbakki-The Árnesinga Folk Museum The Árnesinga Folk Museum on Facebook History museums in Iceland