Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts

The Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts of Iran (Persian: وزارت میراث فرهنگی، گردشگری و صنایع دستی ایران, Vezârat-e Mirâs-e Farhangi, Gardeshgari va Sanâye'-e Dasti-ye Irân) is an educational and research institution overseeing numerous associated museum complexes throughout Iran. It is administered and funded by the Government of Iran. It was first established in 1985 by legislation from the Majlis merging 11 research and cultural organizations. In 2019, the Iranian Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization (ICHHTO) was converted into the Ministry.^[3] The current Minister is Ezzatollah Zarghami, being appointed 25 August 2021 by Ebrahim Raisi.

Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts of Iran

وزارت میراث فرهنگی، گردشگری و صنایع دستی ایران Vezârat-e Mirâs-e Farhangi, Gardeshgari va Sanâye'-e Dasti-ye Irân
Original logo from 2019
Flag of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts of Iran
Agency overview
Formed	1985
Preceding agencies	Touring and Tourism Organization (1991 to 2003) Deputy of Touring and Pilgrimage in Ministry of Islamic Guidance (1979 to 1991) Ministry of Intelligence and Tourism (1974 to 1979) Office of Tourism (1954 to 1963) Touring Council (1941 to 1954) Office of Tourists and publicity (1935 to 1941)
Jurisdiction	Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran
Headquarters	Tehran, Iran
Employees	7,200 (2013)^[1]
Annual budget	375 billion toman (2014)^[2]
Agency executive	Ezzatollah Zarghami
Website	www.mcth.ir

The gates of Bagh Melli, where some offices of ICHTO are located. The gates were constructed during the Qajar dynasty.

Locations

Select list of notable museums and palaces overseen by ICHTO, listed in alphabetical order.

• Abgineh Museum of Tehran (Glassware and Ceramics Museum of Iran)
• Arg-é Bam
• Carpet Museum of Iran
• Golestan Palace
• Iranian National Museum of Medical Sciences History
• Malik National Museum of Iran
• Naghsh-i Jahan Square
• National Car Museum of Iran
• National Museum of Iran
• Niavaran Palace Complex
• Pars Museum of Shiraz
• Pearl Palace (Morvarid Palace)^[4]
• Reza Abbasi Museum
• Sadabad Palace

Some organizations administered by ICHTO

• Iran Tourism and Touring Organization
• ICHTO Documentation Center^{[permanent dead link]}

Select ICHTO archeological projects

• Ayapir
• Chogha Zanbil
• Sultaniyeh
• Bisutun
• Takht-i-Suleiman / Adur Gushnasp
• Arg Bam
• Persepolis and Pasargad

ICHTO has branches in all Provinces of Iran that administer and operate local projects, sites and museums.

See also

• Tourism in Iran
• Iranian art
• International rankings of Iran
• Culture of Iran
• History of Iran
• Smithsonian Institution
• Architecture of Iran
• Economy of Iran
• Society for the National Heritage of Iran

References

1. نیمی از کارکنان سازمان میراث فرهنگی دیپلمه اند Tabnak
2. ۱۳۹۳ رشد ۳۲ درصدی بودجه میراث فرهنگی و گردشگری درسال IRNA
3. "ICHHTO Converted Into Ministry, Mounesan Appointed Caretaker". Financial Tribune. 2019-08-21. Retrieved 2020-07-30.
4. "Shams Palace Not Yet Under ICHHTO Ownership". Financial Tribune. 2017-05-07. Retrieved 2021-04-07.

External links

• (in Persian) Official website
• (in English) Official website
• Visit Iran (Sightseeing information website by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicraft Organization)

Province branches

• Tehran ICHTO
• Khorasan ICHTO
• Qom ICHTO
• Fars ICHTO
• Kermanshah ICHTO
• Yazd ICHTO
• Zanjan MCTH