In 1968, CIPA was founded as the Comité International de la Photogrammétrie Architecturale (English: “International Committee of Architectural Photogrammetry”). Over time, this committee gradually evolved into an organisation that applied technology from the measurement, the visualisation and the computer sciences for the benefit of recording, conserving and documenting cultural heritage in all its possible forms. Therefore, its original name was replaced by CIPA Heritage Documentation.

To date, CIPA Heritage Documentation is a dynamic international organisation that has twin responsibilities: keeping up with technology and ensuring its usefulness for cultural heritage conservation, education and dissemination. This dual role is exhibited in our parent organizations: ICOMOS (International Council of Monuments and Sites) and ISPRS (International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing).

We try to accomplish these two sometimes conflicting goals in a variety of ways, through:

• encouraging and promoting the development of principles and good practices for recording, documentation and information management of cultural heritage;
• leading and participating in international training programs for conservation;
• advising government bodies, regional authorities, non-profit groups and institutions on tools, technology and methods for using technology;
• sponsoring an international network of professionals in both the fields of technology and cultural heritage for scientific research but also applied practical experience;
• providing a platform with bi-annual congresses for the exchange of ideas, best practices as well as scientific research papers.