A group of people gathered around a speaker in a courtyard surrounded by historic wood-frame houses. — This workshop in Savannah, Georgia, about the Historic Tax Credit program is similar to training provided most years at the National Preservation Conference.
NPS/ Jenny Parker

Whether you are interested in historic preservation as a career or a hobby, there are many opportunities to learn from the professionals in the NPS.

Study on Your Own

Rehabilitation and Restoration of Historic Buildings. A good place to begin is with Technical Preservation Services' Preservation Brief series, which provides guidance on preserving, rehabilitating, and restoring historic buildings. If you are interested in a particular rehabilitation-related topic, try the Preservation by Topic index.

Battlefield Preservation. Studies on battlefields of the Civil War, Revolutionary War, and War of 1812 are available, as well as guidance related to archeology, landscapes, and preservation.

Preservation Planning. Standards and Guidelines for Preservation Planning and additional resources.

Diverse Communities. In addition to other publications, three reports in a series of "Reflections on the American Landscape" offer perspectives from Americans whose ancestry is Hispanic, Asian, or African.

Materials Science, Research, and Technology. For recent information about emerging science, research and technology, explore the materials available from the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training.

Cultural Landscapes. The Olmsted Center for Landscape Preservation publishes reports, inventories, maintenance plans, and technical preservation guides.

Archeology. Explore on-demand distance learning courses to learn the basics of archeology.

NPS employee making repairs to a historic masonry wall. — Historic Preservation Training Center staff teaching wet-laid masonry and rehabbing a staircase at Wupatki National Monument.
NPS/ HPTC

Find Training

National Park Service staff regularly participate in national preservation conferences as speakers and moderators of education sessions and workshops. Find us at the National Preservation Conference, National Main Streets Conference, National Alliance of Preservation Commission's Forum, and George Wright Society Conference, among others.

National Park Service-sponsored conferences, workshops, webinars, and other training opportunities occur regularly. Programs that often plan and host such events include:

Heritage Documentation Programs (GIS Training)

Historic Preservation Training Center

National Center for Preservation Technology and Training

Olmsted Center for Landscape Preservation

Technical Preservation Services

Gain Experience

Many National Park Service parks and programs offer opportunities for volunteers and interns. For college and graduate school students and recent graduates, the NPS Pathways Program provides internship and job opportunities with the idea of providing a career path.