Scientific Collections
The Natural Science Institute of Iceland (NSII) Scientific Collections preserve millions of specimens and samples of organisms, fossils, cores, unconsolidated sediments, tephra, rocks, and minerals. The Scientific Collections are an important foundation for research in the fields of petrology, mineralogy, palaeontology, systematics, as well as research on Iceland’s geological history. The objective of the Scientific Collections is to reflect as fully as possible the natural history of Iceland and its biota, the current state of biological diversity, and the rocks and minerals found here.
Many collection items are rare or no longer found in nature in Iceland. Other items, such as specimens of the same species from the same location, form chronological sequences spanning many decades. The NSII Scientific Collections thus preserve knowledge about nature in Iceland that would otherwise be lost. It can also be unfeasible or too expensive to obtain new specimens or samples, making collection items a valuable resource for researchers.
Collection holdings are largely the product of research by specialists at the NSII. Many important specimens have also been donated by private individuals and public institutions, most notably the University of Iceland and the Marine and Freshwater Research Institute.
The NSII Scientific Collections are organized into four administrative divisions by field of study:
Every year, collection items are loaned out for exhibition and research purposes in Iceland and internationally (see our Loans and Sampling Policy).
Historical collection items
The NSII Scientific Collections preserve artefacts from pioneering naturalists in Iceland. Part of the collection can be traced back to the collection belonging to the Icelandic Natural History Society, established in 1889.
The oldest collection items in the NSII Scientific Collections are three Macoma calcarea shells collected in 1755 or 1756 by Icelandic naturalists Eggert Ólafsson and Bjarni Pálsson, during their travels around Iceland in the 1750s. Several rock samples collected in 1839–41 by Jónas Hallgrímsson, Iceland’s beloved national poet and naturalist, are found in the Geological Collections. Other notable Icelandic naturalists represented in the Scientific Collections include Benedikt Gröndal, Bjarni Sæmundsson, Stefán Stefánsson, and Helgi Jónsson. The NSII Scientific Collections thus have a clear cultural and historical significance, in addition to their scientific value.
Dry Collections Facility
A preservation facility for various dried specimens, such as plants, fungi, lichens, mosses, animal bones, bird skins, and taxidermy specimens — totaling around 195,000 samples, where each sample may consist of one or multiple items. The room size is 156 m²; humidity (50%) and temperature (19°C) are kept constant year-round; there are no water pipes in the walls, floor, or ceiling; fire suppression system that smothers fire.
Wet Collections Facility
A preservation facility for specimens and samples of animals stored in ethanol and formalin — totaling around 261,000 samples, where each sample may consist of one to several thousand items. The room size is 169 m²; equipped with powerful ventilation; temperature is kept constant at 17°C; an air quality monitor detects toxic fumes.
Rock Collections Facility
Samples of rocks, minerals, fossils, and drill cores — totaling around 32,500 samples. Size: 218 m²; temperature is kept constant at 19°C.
Akureyri
The institute's collection is preserved in the research building Borgir in Akureyri. The main part consists of dried specimens of plants and fungi, including lichens — totaling around 80,000 samples.
