The task of the Central Institute for Cataloguing and Documentation (ICCD) in Rome is to develop, in agreement with the Regions, methodologies and standard procedures for cataloguing archaeological, architectural, historical-artistic, ethno-anthropological, scientific, and technological heritage.
For the integrated management of cataloguing processes, the ICCD provides the General Catalogue Information System, SIGeCweb, through which it is possible to ensure data quality and their compliance with national standards. Public consultation of the records is guaranteed by the General Catalogue of Cultural Assets website.
The Catalogue Record Archive preserves paper copies of cultural asset records sent by the competent Superintendencies for protection and by Regions and Municipalities, prepared between 1969 and 2007. It is accessible to the public by appointment.
In the photographic sector, the ICCD ensures the proper conservation and management of a vast photographic corpus, made up of materials from the National Photographic Cabinet (GFN) and the National Aerophototeca. The GFN, established in 1895 and still active for the photographic documentation of Italian cultural heritage, houses several million objects, including positives, negatives, and unique pieces of great historical-artistic and documentary value. The National Aerophototeca, established in 1958 for the collection and study of aerial photography materials relating to the Italian territory, preserves a heritage of over two million images, acquired over the years and gathered in various collections ranging from the late 19th century up to the 1990s.
On-site consultation is assisted and carried out by appointment.
A permanent exhibition of cameras dating from the mid-1800s to mid-1900s is open to the public during temporary photography exhibitions held in the Institute’s 5 exhibition rooms and is visitable by appointment during other periods.
At the National Aerophototeca, a collection of historic equipment for aerial shooting and cartographic restitution is also visitable by appointment.
The Institute’s Library contains over 20,000 monographs on artistic and photographic topics, numerous art periodicals, and rare photography periodicals from the early 1900s.
 in Rome is to develop, in agreement with the Regions, methodologies and standard procedures for cataloguing archaeological, architectural, historical-artistic, ethno-anthropological, scientific, and technological heritage.){kind=link}