The permanent collection of architectural, engineering and landscape documentation at the Library of Congress consists of measured and interpretive drawings, large-format black and white and color photographs, written historical and descriptive data, and original field notes. The collection captures the American experience through approximately 40,000 recorded historic structures and sites, from American Indian cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde to space-age technology at Cape Canaveral.

You can search the collections, and quickly find the structures you're most interested in. The records were created for the American public and are in the public domain; however, in some instances, use of images may be restricted. As is the case with recent additions to the collections, digital images may not be available online for all records. Should you encounter this, ordering copies of part, or all, of the record may be advantageous. Or, if you have questions, contact the LC Prints & Photographs Division reference staff.

HABS/HAER/HALS administrative records are available through the National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group (RG) 515.