NKA's Preservation Work

NKA's Preservation Work

Preservation protects all buildings, both externally and internally. We preserve buildings that have special cultural and historical significance, making them a crucial part of Kalaallit Nunaat's culture that future generations must also be able to enjoy.

These pages provide information on the Greenland National Museum & Archives' preservation work, including the reasons for preservation, the requirements and conditions for preserved buildings, and the associated case processes. Check the list of "preserved and preservation-worthy buildings" to find which buildings are currently preserved.

Why do we preserve?

The Greenland National Museum & Archives administers the preservation of Greenland's 150 preserved buildings. Kalaallit Nunaat's cultural heritage contributes significantly to world and human history. Through active measures like preservation and other cultural heritage protection, Kalaallit Nunaat secures its part of the global cultural heritage.

Inatsisartut Act No. 11 of May 19, 2010, safeguards preserved buildings against man-made destruction. The Act aims to protect the country's older buildings with architectural, cultural-historical, or environmental value. Buildings narrate Kalaallit Nunaat's culture and architectural history across the ages. The Inatsisartut Act embodies the national responsibility to care for cultural monuments as a cultural resource, scientific source material, and a lasting foundation for the experience, self-understanding, well-being, and activity of current and future generations.

A preservation order is generally valid forever, making maintenance central to conservation. We provide no compensation for building preservation. To ensure preservation, the owner of a preserved building must keep it in good repair. Proper maintenance means upholding the preservation values and securing that the roof, exterior walls, doors, and windows are tight and sound. Read more here about the "full material" you must include with an application for permission, which ensures you uphold the preservation values.

Living buildings, but...

When preserving a building, you must seek permission from the Greenland National Museum & Archives for all changes beyond ordinary maintenance.

A preserved building is not a museum. Owners can use a historic building for many purposes, including commercial and residential. When planning changes, you must maintain or strengthen the building's special qualities and character, which involves preserving the building's core preservation values. Since both small and large changes require permission from the Greenland National Museum & Archives, you must apply for everything—from re-roofing or moving an internal partition wall to setting up a facade sign. You can read more about this in Inatsisartut Act No. 11 of May 19, 2010, Chapter 3, §22, subsections 1 and 2.

This requirement ensures that changes to a preserved building either maintain or improve its preservation values. Using incorrect materials or execution during changes can cause a building to lose the value and distinctive character that made it worthy of preservation.

If a repair involves replacing parts, you must generally use the original materials and construction techniques. This maintains the building's authenticity and integrity. Qualified personnel must carry out work on preserved buildings. Additionally, you must carefully observe building-historical traces. Observing building-historical traces helps us learn about the building's original appearance, interior design, and the changes it has undergone over time. If you plan to restore a house, you must clarify its history. This history then serves as the basis for a project that respects the qualities of the old house.