Since 2001, a public-private partnership has been active in Herculaneum to support the governance of the site, which constitutes a best practice recognised by UNESCO. This is the first time a long-term public-private partnership has been established in Italy, capable of supporting the management of a complex site in a stable and organic manner.

In particular, as part of the agreement with the Packard Humanities Institute (a philanthropic foundation operating in Italy through the Packard Institute for Cultural Heritage), the Herculaneum Conservation Project was established in 2001 with the aim of safeguarding the archaeological site of Herculaneum and overcoming the critical conservation issues of that time, and engaging in a long-term conservation programme using innovative tools and methods and the support of international scientific expertise.

Since then, the HCP has been constantly working in support of the Park to develop, protect and manage Herculaneum’s cultural heritage and to promote its relationship with the local area and community.