If you’ve fancied the idea of visiting Iceland, if you’re counting your pennies and can’t realize your Icelandic daydreams, or if you’ve already been and remain enchanted try to find out cultural happenings in your area in which you can pretend you are in the eccentricities of the midnight sun.

I’ve done some research of my own and have some suggestions. If you are in New York, you can indulge your inner child and mind travel to the enchanted landscape of glaciers, volcanoes, and spellbinding magical fables. Scandinavia House is highlighting the children's literature of Iceland.

It presents a broad range of stories: from the ancient Viking sagas, to traditional oral accounts, to modern day children’s authors, all in a fun colorful space.

Icelandic literature reflects the closeness of man and nature, and The Myths & Magic of Iceland evokes the otherworldly Icelandic landscape with its violent volcanoes, glistening majestic glaciers, moonscapes, and lava-ridden open spaces covered with moss. You will encounter bleating sheep, seals sunbathing on icebergs, and loopy puffins perched on cliffs.

If you are a true believer you might even find elves or huldufólk (hidden people). You can gaze at eerie rock formations, said to be petrified mean trolls. Children at heart can read, and listen to recorded stories in a cozy rustic turf cottage or an ice cave. There is even a mini-stage modeled after Thingvellir, the site of the world’s oldest parliament.

If you’re looking for something more tantalizing for the sophisticated and intellectual grown up within you, and you are in Chicago, I suggest that you head to the Museum of Contemporary Art. It’s your last chance to see the acclaimed exhibit, ending on September 13, of one of my favorite artists, Icelander Ólafur Elíasson. It opened in San Francisco in 2007 and continued on to New York and Dallas. The show will make its final stop in Sydney, Australia.

New York Times critic Holland Cotter said this about Elíasson’s immersive installations incorporating light, water, ice, fog, and mirrors, “Enchanting the work certainly is, as well as open, evanescent, intellectually stimulating, and beautiful.”

The artist refers to his artworks as “devices for the experience of reality.” This particular exhibit includes a rainbow chamber, an aromatic wall of Icelandic moss and a kaleidoscopic tunnel produced with colored acrylic and mirrors. Nature is omnipresent in his emotive works.

Not an art aficionado? Maybe you’re looking for the bombastic surrealist experience of Reyjavík’s music scene? Then check out the Icelandic composer Johann Johannsson.  His music titters between classical Minimalism and indie-pop. He will play tonight at Minneapolis’ Southern Theatre and will then continue on to in Italy, Belgium and Poland.

Use your imagination and savvy research skills to find out what Icelandic outings are occurring in your neck of the woods. It might even inspire you to take the aviator aerial leap.

Alexandra Hertell - alehertell@gmail.com