State Office for Cultural Heritage Management Baden-Wuerttemberg, Esslingen, Germany

The State Office for Cultural Heritage Management is the central authority for cultural heritage management in the German federal state Baden-Wuerttemberg. Its goal is the investigation, preservation and communication of the cultural heritage of Baden-Wuerttemberg. There are two branch offices in Gaienhofen-Hemmenhofen and Konstanz (both located near Lake Constance)

The multifaceted responsibilities of the State Office cover in particular the fundamental and supraregional issues of heritage management in Baden-Wuerttemberg. This includes the management of archaeological as well as architectural and art monuments. The State Office complements the work of the Departments for Cultural Heritage Management in the Regional Administrative Authorities and provides support in all state-wide issues.

The State Office in Esslingen employs approximately 150 persons of different specialisation and technical equipment. This includes photographers, illustrators, natural scientists of diverse disciplines, engineers, historians, computer specialists and many other experts. Most employees have a professional background in archaeology, history of arts, architecture or restoration.

Within the State Office, six departments cover the following areas of responsibility:

• represent Baden-Wuerttemberg’s cultural heritage management,
• develop criteria for the compilation and assessment of cultural heritage,
• prepare guidelines for cultural heritage management and collaborate in their implementation,
• public relations,
• supervise and advise heritage management boards and owners in heritage management matters
• provide advice for owners of cultural heritage,
• carry out and evaluate archaeological excavations,
• restore excavated finds as well as art and architectural monuments and develop restoration methods,
• provide scientific, technical and historical expertise and carry out archaeological prospection,
• prepare and coordinate the cultural heritage promotion programme in the federal state,
• prepare publications on cultural heritage management,
• provide a scientific library, central data collection and documentation