Are national monuments protected by the government?

The Antiquities Act of 1906 is one of our nation's most important conservation tools. Used to safeguard and preserve federal lands and cultural and historical sites for all Americans to enjoy, 18 presidents have used this authority and have designated 161 national monuments.



Yes, national monuments in the United States are federally protected areas managed by agencies like the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, or the U.S. Forest Service. They are primarily protected under the Antiquities Act of 1906, which grants the President the authority to designate public lands and waters of "historic or scientific interest" for permanent safeguarding. This protection means that activities like mining, logging, or unauthorized construction are strictly prohibited within the monument's borders. These sites protect everything from prehistoric Native American ruins to massive geological features like Devils Tower or the Grand Canyon (which was originally a monument). In 2026, these protections remain a cornerstone of American conservation law, though they are occasionally subject to political debate regarding their size and usage. Violating the rules of a national monument—such as vandalizing artifacts or taking natural resources—is a federal offense that can result in significant fines and imprisonment.

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A Pennsylvania law states that a person commits a misdemeanor of the second degree if he: (1) intentionally desecrates any public monument or structure, or place of worship or burial; or (2) intentionally desecrates any other object of veneration by the public or a substantial segment thereof in any public place; ...

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The Antiquities Act of 1906 is one of our nation's most important conservation tools. Used to safeguard and preserve federal lands and cultural and historical sites for all Americans to enjoy, 18 presidents have used this authority and have designated 161 national monuments.

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National monuments can either be established by Congress though legislation or by the president of the United States through the use of the Antiquities Act.

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Iconic locations like Yosemite and Yellowstone attract visitors from all over the world, but our public lands are so much more than just the big 61 national parks. They're also scenic rivers, national marine monuments, national battlefields and wildernesses.

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For that reason, the defacing, destruction, or desecration of these sites is a criminal offense—and when it happens on federal property or when crossing state lines, it's a federal crime under Title 18 U.S. Code 1369. If convicted of violating this law, you could face up to 10 years in federal prison.

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It allows the president of the United States to permanently reserve public lands with significant prehistoric, historic, or natural features. There are few statutory limits upon this power; the only restrictive clause in the law limits the monuments to the smallest area compatible with their management.

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National monuments are located in 32 states, Washington, D.C., the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, the Minor Outlying Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands. Arizona has the most national monuments, with 19, followed by California with 18 and New Mexico with 13.

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The Statue of Liberty was dedicated on October 28, 1886. It was designated as a National Monument in 1924.

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Not all national monuments are established the same way. Some are created by presidents using the authority of the Antiquities Act. Congress also creates national monuments through the legislative process.

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An international organization, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and its World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA), has defined National Park as its Category II type of protected areas. According to the IUCN, 6,555 national parks worldwide met its criteria in 2006.

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Devils Tower was designated as America's first national monument in 1906 by President Theodore Roosevelt.

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On August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed the Organic Act creating the National Park Service, a federal bureau in the Department of the Interior responsible for maintaining national parks and monuments that were then managed by the department.

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He designated it a national monument in 1908. In 1919, President Woodrow Wilson made Grand Canyon a national park to protect the land and the resources within it, managed by the National Park Service. The United Nations declared the park a World Heritage Site in 1979.

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