Mapping Netherlands: Cultural Heritage - Government

Ministerie voor Onderwijs, Cultuur en Wetenschap
Ministry for Education, Culture and Science
The Hague
The Ministry is responsible for policies within the fields of education, culture and science. These include emancipation, media, cultural heritage and student grants. The ministry outlines the basic infrastructure for culture which consists of the national cultural funds and a number of institutions that are deemed necessary for a thriving sector.

Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The Hague
Together with the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for international cultural policy. The director of the International Cultural Policy Unit (ICE) is also the Netherlands' Ambassador for International Cultural Cooperation. International cultural policy aims to strengthen the Netherlands' international cultural profile and its cultural ties with certain countries and regions.

Raad voor Cultuur
Council for Culture
The Hague
The Council for Culture is the legal adviser of the government in the fields of the arts, culture and media. The Council provides recommendations regarding the cultural policy in the Netherlands, whether it is requested of them or not. Usually, the Council provides a recommendation at the request of the Minister of the OCW (Ministry of Education, Culture and Science).

Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed
Cultural Heritage Agency (Part of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science)
Amersfoort
The Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands helps other parties to get the best out of our heritage. It is involved in listing, preserving, sustainably developing and providing access to the most valuable heritage in our country. The Cultural Heritage Agency is the link between policymakers, academics and practitioners. The Netherlands has 60.000 national listed monuments, including 1500 archaeological sites of national importance, and over 440 conservation areas. The Cultural Heritage Agency manages the State art collection, comprising some 100.000 items. At the moment there are 10 World heritage sites in the Netherlands.

Nationaal Archief
National Archives of the Netherlands (Part of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science)
The Hague
The National Archive preserves the documentations of the Dutch government, social organisations and individuals of national importance. The archive’s aim is to supply historical information to a varied public. Furthermore, the collection is of great international significance. The National Archive cooperates with countries which are historically tied to The Netherlands by participating in the international networks of archival institutions.