Department of Cultural Heritage

Ministry of Culture and Equality

The Department of Cultural Heritage is responsible for language policy, literature, archives, libraries, visual art, cultural buildings, museums, intangible cultural heritage, the war graves service and Sami affairs. The Department also oversees the Language Council of Norway, the National Archives of Norway, the National Library of Norway, the Norwegian Library of Talking Books and Braille, KORO (Public Art Norway) and the Nidaros Cathedral Restoration Workshop.

The department consists of the following sections

  • CH1

    This section is responsible for literature, language policy, Sami affairs, national minorities, the import and export of cultural objects, and statutes covering the areas within the Department’s remit: archives, language, literature, the legal deposit of documents, place names, public libraries, remuneration for lending by public libraries, artwork fees, as well as section 23 of the Cultural Heritage Act, section 23a of the Burials Act, and various regulations. The section is responsible for overseeing the Language Council of Norway, the Norwegian Library of Talking Books and Braille and the Nidaros Cathedral Restoration Workshop.

  • CH2

    This section is responsible for archives, libraries, museums, visual art, planning and building matters, cultural buildings, the war graves service, intangible cultural heritage and the coordination of the Department’s R&D activities. The section also oversees the National Archives of Norway, the National Library of Norway and KORO (Public Art Norway). In addition to responsibility for museum grants and various visual art grants, this section is also responsible for grants in other areas, such as the Nobel Peace Centre.