When we talk about cultural heritage, we are talking about a set of intangible values that contribute to people’s sense of identity and belonging, as well as the world they live in. This includes both art and history, and landscapes as well as monuments, buildings, and other physical objects. It also extends to a country’s countryside and natural environment, such as its flora and fauna, scientifically known as biodiversity, and its geological elements (including mineralogical, geomorphological, and paleontological ones), scientifically known as geodiversity.
The value of these intangibles is important to a society, but it has been difficult to measure. That is changing, as scientists and other scholars develop new techniques to recognize these intangible benefits, as well as methods to quantify them.
For example, one technique looks at how often people visit a historic site and how much time they spend there. This provides an indication of the “value of experience” that is associated with a visit to that place, and can be used to estimate the value of visits to cultural heritage sites. Other techniques look at the economic benefits of a site, such as the amount of money it brings in from tourism or admission fees. This is a useful way to estimate the value of an experience, but it does not tell us what people think of a specific place, or how much they enjoy being there.
There are many threats to a nation’s cultural heritage, both tangible and intangible. These threats can be financial (when a site is no longer able to be maintained or is under threat from lack of funding), environmental, such as the destruction of historic cities due to climate change; and social, such as conflict and war, which can result in the loss of cultural treasures.
Sustaining a heritage means keeping it accessible and open for people to use and learn from. This is a challenge, as some cultural heritage sites are at risk of being damaged by visitors or from light exposure. But it is important to keep in mind that not all heritage is tangible, and that intangible aspects of culture can be equally important for a society’s sense of identity and belonging.
The Penn Cultural Heritage Center (PennCHC) is committed to exploring new ways of thinking about heritage, embracing the idea that it encompasses more than just a country’s historic buildings and museums. The PennCHC is also part of the newly formed Conflict Culture Research Network, which is examining why, when, and by whom cultural heritage becomes targeted during conflict. This work is being conducted across multiple international organizations, including the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. To learn more about this exciting new initiative, please visit our website.