It is a national responsibility to safeguard these resources as research source material and as an enduring basis for present and future generations' experience, awareness, enjoyment.

In line with Section 2 of the act, cultural heritage is "all traces of human activity in our physical environment, including places associated with historical events, beliefs, and traditions.

Originally the concern lay in protecting individual cultural heritage as a source of knowledge about the Norway's oldest history.

Gradually, the focus expanded to include protection of larger collections of artifacts and the overall physical environment.

Permission for any such activity must be obtained from the Norwegian Directorate for Cultural Heritage or county municipality (mainly through the Planning and Building Act).