The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage was established to identify, record and evaluate the architectural heritage of the country in a systematic and uniform manner. Each county inventory is published in a full-colour, attractively illustrated booklet in English and Irish introducing the architectural highlights of the area, and includes a free, searchable CD containing a database, with descriptive text and photographs, and relevant mapping.

One of the most important items in the architectural heritage of County Kildare is the Curragh camp, a large complex of buildings that span over a century and a variety of styles and almost comprise an independent town. The Grand and the Royal canals both pass through the county and are historically noteworthy as having supported the industrialisation of parts of Kildare. Fine industrial-related structures in the county include bridges, mill buildings and warehouses, and smaller-scale items of interest are thatched cottages and street furniture including iron waterpumps, lamp posts and post boxes.