Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism

Ministry of Cultural Heritage. Tourism and Handicrafts (MCTH)
وزارت میراث فرهنگی، گردشگری و صنایع دستی ایران; Vâzart-e Miras-e Ferhengi-ye, Gârdâshigâri-ye vâ Sânai'-ye Dâsti-ye Iran
	Original logo from 2019
	Flag of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism
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	Iran
Headquarters	Tehran, Iran
Employees	7,200 (2013)
Annual budget	375 billion toman (2014)
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.

Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicraft Organization (Persian: وزارت میراث فرهنگی، گردشگری و صنایع دستی ایران, Vâzart-e Miras-e Ferhengi-ye, Gârdâshigâri-ye vâ Sânai'-ye Dâsti-ye Iran) 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, Iran Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization (ICHHTO), has transferred into the Ministry.^[3] The current Minister is Ezzatollah Zarghami, being appointed 25 August 2021 by President Ebrahim Raisi. He was formerly head of IRIB.

It publishes and oversees the publication of many journals and books, and carries out projects in conjunction with foreign museums and academia. It is similar in scope and activity to the Smithsonian Institution.

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[]

Select ICHTO archeological projects[]

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

References[]

^ نیمی از کارکنان سازمان میراث فرهنگی دیپلمه اند Tabnak
^ ۱۳۹۳ رشد ۳۲ درصدی بودجه میراث فرهنگی و گردشگری درسال IRNA
^ https://plus.google.com/113403756129291503583 (2019-08-21). "ICHHTO Converted Into Ministry, Mounesan Appointed Caretaker". Financial Tribune. Retrieved 2020-07-30.
^ "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[]

East Azarbaijan ICHTO^{[permanent dead link]}
Tehran ICHTO
Khorasan ICHTO
Qazvin ICHTO
Qom ICHTO
Semnan ICHTO
Kerman ICHTO
Isfahan ICHTO
Lorestan ICHTO
Markazi ICHTO
Fars ICHTO
Kermanshah ICHTO
Birjand ICHTO
Kurdestan ICHTO
Mazandaran ICHTO
Sistan and Baluchestan ICHTO
Bushehr ICHTO
Gilan ICHTO
Hamedan ICHTO
Yazd ICHTO
Zanjan MCTH

[1] نیمی از کارکنان سازمان میراث فرهنگی دیپلمه اند Tabnak

[2] ۱۳۹۳ رشد ۳۲ درصدی بودجه میراث فرهنگی و گردشگری درسال IRNA

[3] ttps://plus.google.com/113403756129291503583 (2019-08-21). "ICHHTO Converted Into Ministry, Mounesan Appointed Caretaker". Financial Tribune. Retrieved 2020-07-30.

[:0-4] "Shams Palace Not Yet Under ICHHTO Ownership". Financial Tribune. 2017-05-07. Retrieved 2021-04-07.

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