Cultural Resources Management

Cultural resources management in the heritage context is mainly concerned with the investigation of sites with archaeological potential, the preservation and interpretation of historic sites and artifacts, and the culture of indigenous people. The subject developed from initiatives in rescue archaeology, sensitivities to the treatment of indigenous people, and subsequent legislation to protect cultural heritage.

In the 1970s, archaeologists created the term "cultural resource management" as a parallel to natural resource management to address the following resources:

• Historic properties (as listed or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places)
• Older properties that may have cultural value, but may or may not be eligible for the National Register
• Historic properties that have cultural value beyond their historicity
• Native American graves and cultural items
• Shipwrecks
• Museum collections
• Historical documents
• Religious sites
• Religious practices
• Cultural use of natural resources
• Folklife, tradition, and other social institutions
• Theater groups, orchestras, and other community cultural amenities

A significant proportion of the archaeological investigation in countries that have heritage management legislation including the USA and UK is conducted on sites under threat of development. In the US, such investigations are now done by private companies on a consulting basis, and a national organization exists to support the practice of CRM. Museums, besides being popular tourist attractions, often play roles in conservation of, and research on, threatened sites, including as repositories for collections from sites slated for destruction.