The commission shall have the power and duty to:
(1) Museums and historic sites.--Control, direct, supervise, manage and annually inspect the State Museum and those field or regional museums and historic sites authorized or created by statute; conduct continuing studies for the improvement of museum activity; and operate, control, direct, supervise and manage a public outreach program, including a mobile museum program or a program of traveling exhibits.(2) Marking historical and archaeological sites.--Upon its own initiative or upon petition of a municipality or historical society, mark by proper monuments, tablets or markers, bearing the Commonwealth crest, places or buildings in this Commonwealth where historical or cultural events have transpired or, with the consent of the state or county having jurisdiction, places or buildings outside of this Commonwealth having to do with its history; and arrange for the care or maintenance of these markers or monuments.(3) Management of historic properties.--Based upon accepted professional museum practices, assume the preservation, care and maintenance of historic property, including those historic properties listed in section 702 (relating to powers over certain historic property); promulgate and enforce rules and regulations for the visitation of historic property by the public; and charge admission fees to historic property at its discretion, which fees shall be paid into the State Treasury through the Department of Revenue and credited to the Historical Preservation Fund.(4) Preservation and restoration of historical and archaeological sites.--Undertake the preservation or restoration of public buildings, military sites or monuments connected with the history of this Commonwealth; contract with political subdivisions, historical societies or other associations, with proper bond or security, for the maintenance of these building sites or monuments as a consideration for assistance in their erection, restoration, preservation or marking by the commission; and take title to sites of historical markers in the name of the Commonwealth.(5) Approval of memorials.--Approve the design, content and proposed location of all official historical monuments, memorials, buildings, tablets and inscriptions proposed for erection or placement on any real property of the Commonwealth.(6) Monuments and markers.--Approve the inscription and proposed location of any historical monument or marker to be erected or placed by any public or private corporation, association, society, organization or person at any place in this Commonwealth.(7) Geographical signs and markers.--Approve the inscription to be placed on official signs or markers to be erected or renewed on or along any highway at the entrance to a municipality or village, or at or near any river, stream, historical place or other place of interest in this Commonwealth, by the Department of Transportation or by any municipality, for the purpose of identification or for the purpose of giving historical facts concerning the location. 1988, May 26, P.L. 414, No. 72, § 1, imd. effective.