When the Regional Museum of Guarda was founded in 1940, no constitution or any kind of founding document was written. Likewise, being dependent of the autarchic powers, the Museum was never endowed with its own independent program, staff or budget.

This would only change in 1985, when the then Regional Museum of Guarda became technically and administratively dependent of the former Portuguese Institute of Cultural Heritage (IPPC) under the Executive Order of June 26, 207/85, which instituted its present denomination, Museum of Guarda, and determined its goals and policies.