NACE 91 – Libraries, Archives, Museums and Other Cultural Activities | Public Tenders
NACE 91: Libraries, museums and zoos in public tenders. Cultural institutions as contracting authorities — CPV codes and typical types of contract.
Definition: NACE 91 covers the operation of libraries and archives, museums and art galleries, nature and heritage conservation areas, botanical and zoological gardens, and aquaria. These predominantly public institutions are at the same time significant contracting authorities for cultural and infrastructure services.
What does NACE 91 cover?
NACE 91 (Libraries, archives, museums) classifies public and private cultural institutions that manage collections and make them accessible to the public — as contracting authorities, they procure a broad spectrum of services.
| Group | Title | Typical services |
|---|---|---|
| 91.0 | Libraries, archives, museums and other cultural activities | Library operation, archiving, museum exhibitions, zoo animal husbandry |
Public Tenders – Cultural institutions
Libraries, museums and zoos regularly award contracts for exhibition design, digitalisation, IT infrastructure, animal care and building management.
Typical types of contract
- Exhibition design and fit-out: Museum exhibition planning, display-case construction, loans logistics
- Digitalisation of collections: Scanning services, metadata capture, digital long-term archiving
- Library software and systems: Integrated library systems (ILS), e-book platforms, RFID systems
- Restoration and conservation: Restoration of works of art, archival material, historical documents
- Animal care and veterinary services: Veterinary care, animal keepers for zoos and animal parks
Relevant CPV codes
| CPV code | Title | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| 92500000 | Services of libraries, archives, museums and other cultural services | Library administration, lending |
| 92510000 | Library and archive services | Book procurement, cataloguing |
| 92521000 | Museum services | Exhibitions, collection care |
| 92522000 | Preservation services of historical sites and buildings | Heritage care, restoration |
| 48160000 | Library software package | Integrated library systems |
| 79810000 | Printing services | Exhibition catalogues, information materials |
Contracting authorities
Typical contracting authorities under NACE 91 are:
- National museums and state museums: Exhibition design, restoration, digital access
- National libraries and state libraries: IT systems, digitalisation projects, book binding
- Public archives: Archive systems, climate technology for archive rooms, restoration
- Zoological and botanical gardens: Veterinary care, enclosure construction, care materials
- Municipal cultural institutions: City libraries, city museums, local exhibition venues
FAQ
Can museums award contracts for loans and exhibitions on a non-competitive basis? For artistically unique services (e.g. loans of specific collections), the negotiated procedure without publication under § 14 VgV or § 36 BVergG may be applied. Standard services such as transport logistics or display-case construction must be tendered in the regular way.
How are digitalisation projects of public archives awarded? Digitalisation projects are tendered as service contracts (scanning, indexing) with clearly defined performance parameters (DPI, file formats, metadata standards). EU-wide tender obligation from EUR 443,000.
- NACE R – Arts, Entertainment and Recreation: Parent section
- NACE 91.0 – Libraries, archives, museums: Sole group
- NACE 90 – Creative and artistic activities: Related division
- NACE 93 – Sports and recreation: Related division
Last updated: January 2026
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