However, the establishment of Statute of the centre was created later when the OIC adopted a resolution in the 9th summit of foreign ministers held in Dakar in 1978.
It was officially made operational in 1980 when the foreign ministers of the 57 members states held 11th summit in Islamabad.
IRCICA functioned under its own mandate from 1983 to 2000 and thereafter, it serves as a secretariat and executive organ of the International Commission for the Preservation of Islamic Heritage (ICPICH), which became fully operational after the 13th summit of foreign ministers was held in Niamey, 1982.
The International Commission for the Preservation of Islamic Heritage (ICPICH) was later merged into IRCICA in June 2000 after the 27th summit of foreign ministers was held in Kuala Lumpur.
The Research Centre For Islamic History, Art and Culture – RCIHAC was so difficult to pronounce and remember, the OIC took a decision to change it into IRCICA which means I – Istanbul or international, R – Research, C – Centre, I – Islamic, C – Culture, and A – Arts.
IRCICA's logo do not indicate its significance or background, but it was created coincidentally in 1985 when the organisation was making documentary films about calligraphy.
At the same time, a Turkish architecture named Özkul Eren presented a logo that was subsequently adopted by the IRCICA as its official identify.
All representatives, including director general is approved by the Supreme Council of the Organization of the Islamic Conference.
The board of directors also served at the International Commission for the Preservation of Islamic Cultural Heritage (ICPICH), however, it was disestablishments in 2000 and all its duties were transferred to IRCICA.
The publishing material in library is used by researchers across the 75 countries, including the United States, Germany, Greece, Iran, Britain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and France, in addition to Turkey.
The library houses 120,000 periodicals, 12,250 grey literature, 4,300 offprints, 1,700 maps, 264,000 archival research, 1,650 audio and video cassettes, and 750 CDs and DVDs.
[11] Considered one of the prominent libraries in Turkey, it is housed in imperial residence, Yıldız Palace, Istanbul.
Its academic disciplines are also focused on the history of Science, archaeology, architecture, fine arts and traditional handicrafts, and preservation of cultural development.
The history of Pakistan book titled Islam in South Asia, Islamabad 1995 was also published by the organisation.
A book titled Calligraphy in the Islamic Cultural Heritage was published in 1992 which was later printed in Turkish, Arabic, Japanese, English, and Malay languages.
[15] A Turkish calligrapher Seyit Amhet Depeler achieved 1st position, while 2nd was Abdah Muhammad Hasan Al-Camal from Egypt and Ehab Ebraheem Thabet from Palestine was nominated as the 3rd winner.