The Icelandic Roots Safnahús
A House of Collections

​​

The Icelandic Roots Safnahús will be a permanent home for genealogy, education, and shared Icelandic heritage. It brings the online work of Icelandic Roots into physical space for study and sharing across generations and across the ocean.

​

Safnahús means “House of Collections.” Rooted in Icelandic tradition, it is where learning, archives, stories, and community meet. The Icelandic Roots Safnahús will be a living educational and interpretive center.

An Interpretive & Educational Center

At its heart, the Safnahús will be a modern interpretive and educational center that blends interactive, high-tech learning modules with traditional learning spaces. Visitors will explore:

• emigration journeys from Iceland to North America

• family lines unfolding across time and place

• the shared Icelandic story across the globe

Designed for All Ages & Ways of Learning

The Safnahús will include:

• library and research areas

• genealogy and learning workspaces

• a children’s educational area

• rotating story panels and displays

• a small shop offering books and select Icelandic Roots items

The Collections

The Safnahús does not replace or duplicate existing museums or heritage sites. Instead, it focuses on living education, lineage, and connection. Alongside history and artifacts, you will also find what came after — families, continuity, and identity across generations.

​​

Icelandic Roots, along with Sunna and Jeff Furstenau, has assembled a library of approximately 5,000 volumes, many of which were donated to the organization. The collection includes rare and modern works in Icelandic and English, a rare reprint of the original Guðbrandsbibía, and other memorabilia and educational materials.

Rooted in Place, Connected Across the Atlantic

The Safnahús is planned for Mountain, North Dakota, on the land homesteaded by Reverend Páll Þorláksson, the Father of the Icelandic  Settlement of Dakota, across Main Avenue, overlooking the beautiful Red River Valley.
The core property was donated in October of 2025. Additional connecting parcels are in the final stages of surveying and title work. These are normal steps in the process and do not affect the project's direction. 

A Living Vision

The Safnahús is a vision in progress and will serve as a bridge to strengthen the global Icelandic heritage network.
The collections must be preserved for the future in a permanent, accessible home.
 

It is built on a simple belief: History survives when people care for it together. ​

👉 Support the Safnahús Library
Donations are accepted online or by mailing a check to:
Icelandic Roots
4715 Woodhaven St S
Fargo, ND  58104

​

For inquiries or questions, please contact us (c/o Sunna).

​

​View the Collection Online  👉On the "Library Thing":  IR Library

​​