This chapter retraces the path of Italian historiography on public administration (administrative historiography - AH) from its beginning to its consolidation into a true discipline. The stage we define as “prehistory” ends in the 1960s. In the first years of this decade, symbolic events (the anniversary of the unification of Italy) and political changes (the entry of the socialist party into government with the related reform push) led to greater attention to public administration and its history. The period 1980–2000 recorded a blossoming number of studies on administrative history. The publication of vast overview works, implementation of massive research programmes, and the foundation of dedicated journals mark this season. At the beginning of the twenty-first century, AH now has a recognized place among history disciplines. Nonetheless, new research directions (e.g. cultural studies) and the strong emphasis on interdisciplinary work take some of its momentum away from AH.