Icelandic Textile Museum

Embroidery, sewing, knitting and wool processing, treated as craft history and as living practice at once. Traditional techniques are explained next to modern work, and the temporary exhibitions bring in Icelandic textile artists, so contemporary pieces hang in the same museum as the historical ones. The angle is domestic and largely women's handwork, which is a side of Icelandic culture that most museums in the country leave out. The building itself is new and well laid out, and the windows look onto the river. One visitor arrived while the artist whose work was on show was in the museum, and had the pieces explained by the person who made them.

• Not an evening stop. The museum shuts in the late afternoon, so plan it into the middle of a driving day rather than the end of one.
• Toilets on site, including a wheelchair-accessible one.
• Fine for children as well as adults — this is not an adults-only collection.
• The displays change. Temporary exhibitions run alongside the permanent collection, so a second visit is not a repeat of the first.

The museum is in Blönduós itself, beside the river, in a new building that is easy to pick out. There is parking at the museum, including wheelchair-accessible spaces, so you can drive up to the door rather than walk in from the town. The supermarket, the ATM and a few shops are a short walk away, which makes this an easy stop to combine with restocking the car.