This website uses cookies, utilised by us and third parties to enhance your experience. For more information, or to change your cookie settings, learn more about cookies
Cultural material bought in Australia or overseas is protected by laws. Our role is to help you make sure that you buy, sell, import or export cultural objects legally.
Australia is committed to protecting our movable cultural heritage, which forms an important part of our identity.
Items of movable cultural heritage may include artworks and historical, archaeological, numismatic, philatelic, science or technology objects.
The Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986 ensures objects that have cultural significance remain in Australia. The Act also provides for the return to the country of origin of foreign cultural property which has been illegally imported into Australia.
Australia is also committed to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development though strengthening efforts to protect and safeguard the world's cultural heritage.
If you buy cultural material in Australia or from overseas, you need to ensure your purchase is compliant with relevant cultural property laws. For more information, please refer to the fact-sheet.
Contacts
Cultural Property Section
Office for the Arts
Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications
GPO Box 2154
Canberra ACT 2601
In Australia, national and foreign cultural heritage is protected by our laws. Australian cultural property objects are significant to the nation’s identity. It is important all cultural heritage items are imported and exported legally.
Exporting cultural property from...
A permit is needed to take significant cultural material out of Australia. We regulate the export of cultural material under...