After the
restoration of an independent Lithuania, systematic protection of objects of cultural heritage was initiated in 1919 when the State Archaeological Commission was established. In 1936, after the adoption of the Law on the
Vytautas the Great Museum of Culture, the office of the Conservator of Monuments of Lithuania was created. In 1940, the Office for the Protection of Cultural Monuments was established to take inventory of cultural property in nationalised estates and hand it over to museums; however, the outbreak of
World War II stopped its activities. In 1961, the first list of architectural monuments of national importance was approved, and in 1972, lists of archaeological, historical, architectural, urban planning, and fine arts monuments of national and local importance were approved, comprising almost 10,000 objects. In 1967, the Scientific Methodological Council for the Protection of Cultural Monuments was established, heritage inspectorates were set up in Vilnius,
Kaunas, and
Klaipėda, and since 1975 every district has had a heritage conservation officer. In 1990, the
Supreme Council – Reconstituent Seimas adopted the Provisional Law on the Inspectorate of Cultural Heritage Protection; the Inspectorate of Cultural Heritage Protection was established and the Department of Heritage Management was created. In 1994, the Inspectorate of Cultural Heritage of the Republic of Lithuania and the Department of Heritage Management were reorganised, and the Department of the Protection of Cultural Values was established (since 2005 - the Department of Cultural Heritage). == References ==