The civic administration of the Museums precinct falls under the jurisdiction of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC), headed by the Mayor of Colombo. The CMC is responsible for local infrastructure, waste management, and road maintenance.
The National Museum itself, however, is a state-level institution. It is governed and maintained by the Department of National Museums, which operates under the central government's Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs. The precinct also enjoys high levels of security and public service provision due to the heavy concentration of foreign embassies and official government residences in the immediate vicinity.