The Republic of Honduras has many historical monuments relating to its pre-Columbian native past, as well as its Spanish colonial era and republican period.
The law for the Protection of the Cultural Heritage of Honduras considers examples of historical monuments, fine furniture, and expressions of folk art (folclórica) worthy of preservation.
Under Honduran law, all archaeological and historical sites and objects are the property of the people of Honduras, with the Instituto Hondureño de Antropología e Historia the guardian of this commonwealth.
IHAH is charged with conducting and regulating research, with managing both the movable property and sites, and with disseminating knowledge of this patrimony to the people.
A special office, the Fiscalia de Etnias, currently occupied by Jany del Cid (2012), prosecutes violations of the law concerning national patrimony.