Division 91: Libraries, archives, museums and other cultural activities

Section S, Arts, sports and recreation. 9 subcategories with ISTAT's explanatory notes and the ATECO 2022 codes they come from.

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  1. 91Libraries, archives, museums and other cultural activities

    This division includes the activities of libraries and archives; the operation of museums of all kinds, heritage collections of all types including library and archival documents, botanical and zoological gardens; the operation of archaeological and historical sites or buildings and the activities of nature reserves.

    These activities include the identification, collection, inventory, conservation/restoration and mediation of cultural or natural, tangible and intangible heritage.

    It also includes the preservation and exhibition of objects, sites and natural wonders of historical, cultural or educational interest (for example, World Heritage Sites).

    Excludes

    • manufacture of musical instruments, see 32.2032.20
    • renovation, renewal, reconstruction and retrofitting of historical and archaeological sites and buildings, see 43.9943.99
    • retail sale of paintings and sculptures (activities of commercial art galleries), see 47.6947.69
    • retail sale of second-hand goods, see 47.7947.79
    • transport and storage activities, see division 5252
    • insurance activities, see division 6666
    • judicial auctions, see 69.1069.10
    • architectural activities to support the conservation and restoration of cultural heritage properties, see 71.1171.11
    • research activities, conservation sciences devoted to cultural heritage, see division 7272
    • activities of tourist guides and lecturers, see 79.9079.90
    • sports, amusement and recreation activities (e.g. the operation of bathing beaches and recreation parks), see division 9393
    • repair of musical instruments not considered cultural heritage and non-historical, see 95.2995.29
  2. 91.1Library and archive activities
    ISTAT explanatory notes ›

    This group includes activities related to the management, care, preservation and assessment of libraries and archives. This group includes:

    • documentation and information activities of libraries and archives of all kinds, including reading, listening and viewing rooms, providing library and archive services to the general public or to a specific public (e.g. students, scientists, staff members)
    • operation of public archives (at governmental, regional or local level) or of private archives (artists', historians', writers' archives, etc.)
    • organisation of a library collection, whether specialised or not, cataloguing collections
    • lending and storage of books, maps, periodicals, films, records, tapes, works of art, archives, etc.
    • retrieval activities in order to comply with information requests, etc.

    Excludes

    • conservation and restoration of cultural heritage, see 91.3091.30
  3. 91.11Library activities
    ISTAT explanatory notes ›

    Excludes

    • conservation and restoration of cultural heritage, see 91.3091.30
  4. 91.11.0Library activities
  5. 91.11.00Library activities
    From ATECO 2022: 91.01.00 Attività di biblioteche ed archivi (all from here)
    ISTAT explanatory notes ›

    Includes

    • documentation and information activities of libraries of all kinds (including digital libraries), reading, listening and viewing rooms:
      • organisation of a collection, whether specialised or not
      • cataloguing collections
      • lending and storage of books, maps, periodicals, films, records, tapes, works of art, etc.
      • retrieval activities in order to comply with information requests, etc.
  6. 91.12Archive activities
    ISTAT explanatory notes ›

    Archive activities include the activities carried out by archival services of all types, with a view to building, storing, classifying, physical or digital archive collections and communicating them to the general public or to a particular category of users.

    Excludes

    • retail sale of manuscripts, see 47.6947.69
    • storage of data files, see 63.1063.10
    • digitisation of files (linked to further processing of data), see 63.1063.10
    • digitisation of files (without any other related activity), see 82.1082.10
    • conservation and restoration of cultural heritage, see 91.3091.30
  7. 91.12.0Archive activities
  8. 91.12.00Archive activities
    From ATECO 2022: 91.01.00 Attività di biblioteche ed archivi (all from here)
    ISTAT explanatory notes ›

    Includes

    • activities of public archives providing a service to the general public or to a special clientele (e.g. students, scientists, staff members) as well as the operation of government archives
    • activities related to the acquisition or collection of archives
    • activities related to the identification, stocktaking, description and classification of archives
    • activities related to the safety and maintenance of archive items (monitoring of the sanitary status and of climatic conditions, safety and security, rehabilitation)
    • activities related to the communication of archives to the public on-site or remotely
    • digitisation of archival documents for digital archive collections

    Also includes

    • archiving of all kinds of documents (in paper or electronic form)
    • activities of independent archivists
    • record keeping and record management activities
  9. 91.2Museum, collection, historical site and monument activities
    ISTAT explanatory notes ›

    This group includes the operation, management, care, preservation, exhibition and assessment of cultural heritage: tangible, intangible and digital in a wide variety of types of collections (both private and public).

    It includes activities pertaining to cultural heritage places as a result of human intervention in its surroundings, from landscapes to gardens, from historical and archaeological sites to buildings.

    Excludes

    • renovation, renewal, reconstruction and retrofitting of historical and archaeological sites and buildings, see 43.9943.99
    • retail sale of paintings and sculptures (activities of commercial art galleries), see 47.6947.69
    • architectural activities to support the conservation and restoration of cultural heritage properties, see 71.1171.11
    • activities related to conservation and restoration of cultural heritage, see 91.3091.30
  10. 91.21Museum and collection activities
    ISTAT explanatory notes ›

    Excludes

    • retail sale of paintings and sculptures (activities of commercial art galleries), see 47.6947.69
    • cultural heritage education, see 85.5285.52
    • library activities, see 91.1191.11
    • archive activities, see 91.1291.12
    • conservation and restoration of cultural heritage, see 91.3091.30
    • repair of furniture not considered cultural heritage and non-historical, see 95.2495.24
  11. 91.21.0Museum and collection activities
  12. 91.21.00Museum and collection activities
    From ATECO 2022: 91.02.00 Attività di musei (all from here)
    ISTAT explanatory notes ›

    Includes

    • operation, management, care, preservation, assessment and exhibition of collections of museums of all kinds:
      • museums or art museums; applied art, crafts and design museums (e.g. jewellery, furniture, costumes, ceramics, silverware)
      • natural history, science and technology museums, historical museums (including military museums)
      • other specialised museums
    • open-air museums, ecomuseums, digital and virtual museums
    • collections in historic houses and national galleries; interpretation centres for ethnographic, religious and folk art (at local or regional level)
    • activities of art galleries, exhibiting art (not for sale)
  13. 91.22Historical site and monument activities
    ISTAT explanatory notes ›

    This class includes the operation and preservation of cultural heritage places as a result of human intervention in its surroundings, from landscapes to gardens and from buildings to sites (natural and built heritage).

    Excludes

    • renovation, renewal, reconstruction and retrofitting of historical and archaeological sites and buildings, see 43.9943.99
    • conservation and restoration of cultural heritage, see 91.3091.30
    • architectural activities to support the conservation and restoration of cultural heritage properties, see 71.1171.11
    • archaeological excavations, see 72.2072.20
  14. 91.22.0Historical site and monument activities
  15. 91.22.00Historical site and monument activities
    From ATECO 2022: 91.03.00 Gestione di luoghi e monumenti storici e attrazioni simili (all from here)
    ISTAT explanatory notes ›

    Includes

    • operation and preservation of historical sites and buildings
    • operation and preservation of archaeological sites open to visitors
  16. 91.3Conservation, restoration and other support activities for cultural heritage
  17. 91.30Conservation, restoration and other support activities for cultural heritage
    ISTAT explanatory notes ›

    Excludes

    • renovation, renewal, reconstruction and retrofitting of historical and archaeological sites and buildings, see 43.9943.99
    • architectural activities to support the conservation and restoration of cultural heritage properties, see 71.1171.11
    • conservation science (research and development activities devoted to cultural heritage), see division 7272
    • archaeological excavations, see 72.2072.20
    • cultural heritage education, see 85.5285.52
    • repair of furniture not considered cultural heritage and non-historical, see 95.2495.24
    • repair of musical instruments not considered cultural heritage and non-historical, see 95.2995.29
  18. 91.30.0Conservation, restoration and other support activities for cultural heritage
    ISTAT explanatory notes ›

    Implementation rule

    • The activities included in this category are subdivided in conservation and restoration of cultural heritage, creation and operation of multimedia equipment adapted for tours in museums and other cultural sites and other support activities for cultural heritage.
  19. 91.30.01Conservation and restoration of cultural heritage
    From ATECO 2022: 33.19.09 Riparazione di altre apparecchiature n.c.a. (in part) · 41.20.00 Costruzione di edifici residenziali e non residenziali (in part) · 90.03.02 Attività di conservazione e restauro di opere d'arte (in part)
    ISTAT explanatory notes ›

    Includes

    • conservation and restoration of historical and archaeological assets of all types of materials, whether the assets are movable or stationary
    • restoration of antique organs and other musical instruments considered cultural heritage and historical
    • restoration of antique or considered cultural heritage and historical works of art, e.g. icons, statues and sculptures, tapestries, mosaics, paintings and frescoes, including sacred images
    • restoration of historical buildings
  20. 91.30.02Creation and operation of multimedia equipment adapted for tours in museums and other cultural sites
    From ATECO 2022: 90.03.02 Attività di conservazione e restauro di opere d'arte (all from here)
    ISTAT explanatory notes ›

    Includes

    • creation and operation of multimedia equipment (e.g. video guides, audio guides, radio guides) adapted for tours in museums and other cultural sites, including devices for the hearing impaired
    • creation, adaptation, translation and dubbing of audio and video content for tours in museums and other cultural sites
  21. 91.30.09Other support activities for cultural heritage
    From ATECO 2022: 90.03.02 Attività di conservazione e restauro di opere d'arte (in part) · 90.03.09 Altre creazioni artistiche e letterarie (in part)
    ISTAT explanatory notes ›

    Includes

    • other activities related to conservation and restoration of cultural heritage

    Also includes

    • consulting regarding the conservation and restoration of cultural heritage
    • activities necessary for the digitisation of cultural heritage, e.g.:
      • gathering the information and data needed for the creation of virtual replicas
    • consulting regarding exhibition design in museums and similar places
  22. 91.4Botanical and zoological garden and nature reserve activities
  23. 91.41Botanical and zoological garden activities
    ISTAT explanatory notes ›

    Excludes

    • landscape and gardening activities, see 81.3081.30
    • operation of sport fishing and hunting preserves, see 93.1993.19
  24. 91.41.0Botanical and zoological garden activities
  25. 91.41.00Botanical and zoological garden activities
    From ATECO 2022: 91.04.00 Attività degli orti botanici, dei giardini zoologici e delle riserve naturali (all from here)
    ISTAT explanatory notes ›

    Includes

    • operation of botanical and zoological gardens, including children's zoos
    • operation of aquariums
  26. 91.42Nature reserve activities
    ISTAT explanatory notes ›

    Excludes

    • protection or restoring activities of agricultural land, see division 0101
    • protection or restoring activities of forestry land, see division 0202
    • protection or restoring activities of landscape (e.g. for parks, gardens), see 81.3081.30
    • operation of sport fishing and hunting preserves, see 93.1993.19
  27. 91.42.0Nature reserve activities
  28. 91.42.00Nature reserve activities
    From ATECO 2022: 91.04.00 Attività degli orti botanici, dei giardini zoologici e delle riserve naturali (all from here)
    ISTAT explanatory notes ›

    Includes

    • operation of nature reserves, including wildlife preservation, etc.
    • conservation and maintenance services of national parks, nature parks and reserves

Source and disclaimer

The code you find here has no legal value, like the one from ISTAT's own navigator. You can use it as a reference when you register or change a VAT number with the Business Register or the Italian Revenue Agency. If in doubt, ask your accountant. ISTAT's official ATECO navigator.

Data: ISTAT, ATECO 2025 classification, CC BY 4.0 licence. We reorganised the files for search without changing the text of codes and notes, except for the capitalisation of section titles. CC BY 4.0

ISTAT files used

ATECO documentation on istat.it