In this economic climate, every krona counts, and those of us who live in Iceland know this best. Ísafjörður resident and museum curator Björg Elínar Sveinbjörnsdóttir recently capitalised on this well-known fact after noticing how tourists constantly peeked into the window of her first floor apartment while walking by. The entrepreneur promptly installed curtains outside her window with a sign reading, “EVERYDAY LIFE PEEP SHOW!” For two euros, two dollars, or two pounds, everyday tourists can now look into the first floor of an Icelandic apartment and see exciting things such as a cake cooling on a table next to a glass of milk or the remnants of lunch.
Björg, who runs the Museum of Everyday Life in Ísafjörður, told the Grapevine that the idea probably originated from her work there. “A few weeks back on a busy day, the idea came to my mind. It was just like a missing puzzle piece in the whole image. Instead of being on display, pretending you are not somehow, I thought it could be funny to reveal the act and see who would own up to it,” she said.
The museum has no set schedule, but will be open whenever the town is crowded. If you have no shame and don’t care who knows it, walk down the main streets of Ísafjörður and keep an eye out for a house with curtains outside the window. Brace yourself, because you may see a dog wandering through the kitchen or a kid looking for a snack. Truly exciting stuff.
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