The article is devoted to the system of heritage care in the USA. This system differs from European systems mainly in the continued application of the subsidiarity principle in heritage care, and the intensive involvement of the non-governmental non-profit sector. Like most bottom-up systems, it is also an organically grown and stable system; it is also complex and not very clear, however, so this article aims to explain its basic characteristics and describe its complex structure. The text describes and explains the long-term development of heritage care in the USA and the resulting complex structure at various levels of government. It also considers the important role of the non-governmental sector. The text can thus serve as a useful tool for all those who come into contact with the issue, or who are interested in the general history of heritage care as a special phenomenon.