Aligning heritage governance logics in Norway: cultural policy, evidence regimes and lived heritage

Cultural heritage governance in Norway, as in many countries, is organised through a sectoral split: built heritage and cultural landscapes are managed by environmental authorities, while museums and other cultural policy instruments fall under the Ministry of Culture. This conceptual article asks whether that split matters for lay experiences of heritage and for the perceived relevance and legitimacy of governance, and how cultural policy can respond without major institutional restructuring. Drawing on Critical Heritage Studies and cultural policy research, the article develops a framework of three governance logics – authorised protection, project/event programming and care/stewardship – tied to distinct evidence regimes, temporalities and budgetary logics. Using Norwegian vignettes, it shows how these arrangements shape visibility and recognition, access to protection and resources, participation and legitimacy, and the effectiveness of heritage measures over time. The article proposes four design principles – interface coherence, evidentiary parity, recognition proportionality and a care horizon – to align cultural heritage governance with lived heritage while preserving arm’s length arrangements.