The Icelandic Museum of Natural History is a public museum owned by the Icelandic state. The Museum is one of three Central Museums in Iceland along with The National Museum of Iceland and The National Gallery of Iceland. It operates under the museum law nr. 141/2011 and under special law on IMNH nr. 35/2007.The primary role of IMNH is to communicate information and knowledge on nature in Iceland in local and global context, through exhibitions and other means, inform about natural history of the island, use of natural resources and nature conservation. The aim of the museum ‘s activity is to promote conservation of cultural and natural heritage in Iceland and provide access to the general public in order to ensure sustainable use of nature and enhance happiness and quality of life.The Icelandic Museum of Natural History was established in 2007, but its roots lie way back to 1887–1889, when The Icelandic Natural History Society  was founded. One of the main objectives of the Society, stated in its founding act and still relevant, is to set up a natural history museum with ambitious exhibition facilities for the general public. The opening of the special exhibition Water in Icelandic Nature in the Pearl building 1. December 2018, was the first exhibition designed and run by the Museum on its own.