It was set up in 1974 as the Ministry for Cultural Assets and Environments (Italian: Ministero per i Beni Culturali ed Ambientali) by the Moro IV Cabinet through the decree read on 14 December 1974, n. 657, converted (with changes) from the law of 29 January 1975, n° 5. The new ministry (defined as per i beni culturali — that is for cultural assets, showing the wish to create a mainly technical organ) largely has the remit and functions previously under the Ministry of Public Education (specifically its Antiquity and Fine Arts, and Academies and Libraries, sections). To this remit and functions it some of those of the Ministry of the Interior (State archives) and of the President of the Council of Ministers (state computer archives, publishing and diffusion of culture).
Legislative decree number 368 of 20 October 1998 set up the Ministero per i Beni e le Attività Culturali, with all the old ministry's remits as well as some new ones:
promotion of sports and sports arenas
promotion of shows, in all their forms
In 2006, the sport portfolio was reassigned to the new Dipartimento per le Politiche Giovanili e le Attività Sportive.
The ministry is principally concerned with culture, the protection and preservation of artistic sites and property, landscape, and tourism (Decree 181/2006). At the end of 2006, the ministry's departments were abolished and their responsibilities returned to the ministry itself.
In 2009 the Ministry’s organisational structure underwent significant changes (Decree 91/2009): the coordination of ministerial functions is still entrusted to a Secretary General, the General Directorates have been reduced from nine to eight, with new denominations and a partial reshaping of their responsibilities. The eight General Directorates continue to be technically supported by high level scientific bodies (Central Institutes).
The peripheral ministerial structure of Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities is provided for, in 17 out of 20 regions, by Regional Directorates for Cultural Heritage and Landscape and by the local Soprintendenze.
On 1 March 2021 the "Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism" was renamed into the "Ministry of Culture".
Direzioni Regionali per i Beni Culturali e Paesaggistici (Regional Directorates for Cultural Heritage and Landscape)
Soprintendenze (Superintendencies)
Soprintendenze per i Beni Architettonici e il Paesaggio (Superintendencies for Architectural Heritage and Landscape)
Soprintendenze per il Patrimonio Storico, Artistico ed Etnoantropologico (Superintendencies for Historical Patrimony, Artistic and Ethno-Anthropological Heritage)
Soprintendenze per i Beni Archeologici (Superintendencies for Archaeological Heritage) File:Piazza sant Ignazio Rome.jpgThe Carabinieri Headquarters for the Protection of Cultural Heritage
Comando Carabinieri per la Tutela del Patrimonio Culturale - Carabinieri Art Squad is the branch of the Italian Carabinieri responsible for combatting art and antiquities crimes
