There are The Last of Us Part 1 artifacts and collectibles scattered throughout almost every level but their locations are often easy to miss. The artifacts and collectibles in question are usually things like notes, posters and so on - scraps from the past or personal effects of particular The Last of Us Part 1 characters that add to the lore of the world. If you're after a 100% completion, or you just really want to learn everything about the game's story, you're going to want to look for these The Last of Us Part 1 artifacts.
To clarify, these artifacts don't give you anything aside from more story details, and there are over 80 of them to look through. They're not the same as The Last of Us comic books or the The Last of Us Firefly pendants, but you should keep an eye out for those collectibles too as you trudge through each chapter. We've got every The Last of Us Part 1 artifact location laid out below to help you easily collect them all.
Every artifact collectible in The Last of Us Part 1
The Last of Us Part 1 artifact collectibles amount to 86 in total, spread across the game's twelve levels. Although some are given to you automatically, so it's actually a few less than that. The TLOU Remake officially divides them as follows:
- Hometown: 0
- The Quarantine Zone: 7
- The Outskirts: 9
- Bill's Town: 11
- Pittsburgh: 17
- The Suburbs: 10
- Tommy's Dam: 2
- The University: 9
- Lakeside Resort: 10
- Bus Depot: 4
- The Firefly Lab: 4
- Jackson: 0
Remember, you don't actually need to find all of them as some are given to you in cutscenes and still count towards your collection. Some also just appear in your inventory between levels and just need to be looked at to "find" them. The Lakeside Resort level is a prime example of this - when that starts you'll have a lot of new The Last of Us Part 1 artifacts in your bag that you've not seen before, but have been accrued by the characters regardless.
With that in mind, we'll go through all the artifacts and their locations below, level by level. Although, we'll skip the Hometown and Jackson levels that bookend The Last of Us Part 1 since there are no artifacts to find in either level:
The Quarantine Zone artifact collectibles
This covers the first proper bit of gameplay, starting from the time skip where you play as Joel in the Washington military zone, and going all the way to sleeping at the safe house and waiting for night to fall.
The Quarantine Zone - Beyond the Wall
Artifacts #1 and #2: Boston Q.Z. Map and Military Pamphlet
These are automatically in Joel's possession once you collect your backpack.
Artifact #3: Note to Brother
Just after your first encounter with the infected, you'll head up some stairs. Before exiting the building, turn left and open the door. In this room, you'll find a note on the table near the window.
The Quarantine Zone - The Slums
Artifact #4: Drafting Notice
Just after moving through the bus, this hard-to-spot collectible will be on the ground near a table.
Artifact #5: Wanted Poster
Look up from where you got the previous The Last of Us artifact - just a few steps beyond, you can spot this poster attached to a storage unit.
Artifact #6: Warehouse Key
You'll obtain this while learning about stealth kills. Once you hop into the office room and take out the thug, he'll drop the key on his body.
Artifact #7: Shipping Manifest
After you see Robert for the first time while hiding from a distance, Joel will automatically jump off the ledge and into cover. From here, move right to find this artifact near the railing and behind the blue dumpster with seagulls on it.
Artifact #8: Dock Notes
Just ahead of the last one - on entering the warehouse, turn right at the forklift truck before going past the boat in dry dock. Behind another blue dumpster in this dead end is another artifact.
The Outskirts artifact collectibles
The second big chapter of the game carries you from the nighttime safe house, and lasts until you leave the Capitol Building via the subway.
The Outskirts - Outside
Artifact #9: Tess' List
After the cutscene where you sleep in the apartment, before leaving, turn around and look behind you. By the lamp is a collectible artifact for you to grab.
Artifact #10: Patrol Routes Map
After taking the generator-powered elevator down, immediately take a right. Between two boilers and a pallet is a map to grab (turn on your flashlight, it's dark down here).
The Outskirts - Downtown
Artifact #11: Evacuation Leaflet
Later on, after escaping the military through the storm drains, Tess and Joel will argue until she persuades him to finish this job. Afterwards, climb up the busted bridge to the main road - next to the traffic light ahead of you, on the right side of the street, is this artifact.
Artifact #12: Field Ops Log
You'll end up in a slanted skyscraper, and on the staircase as you ascend is one of several dead soldiers. His notes are lying next to him.
Artifact #13: Firefly Map
After getting the revolver, you'll climb all the way down the wreckage of the building into a busted subway. A body with a molotov is head of you - from there, turn right and go to the stairs beyond to find another body with an artifact.
Artifact #14: Note to Derek
The next area has stores on both sides and is full of clickers. Go into the store on the left and behind the counter - there's a drawer behind there with this artifact, which also doubles as one of The Last of Us safe codes.
The Outskirts - Museum
Artifact #15: Medical Pamphlet
Once you use a rolling display unit to clamber over a semi-truck, immediately turn around when you hit the other side and go into the truck to find this note.
The Outskirts - The Capitol Building
Artifact #16: Firefly Orders
After climbing over rooftops and Tess pointing out the Capitol Building beind close by in a cutscene, you'll be at the top of some stairs. Head to the bottom, then immediately look back to find this lying next to a dead body.
Artifact #17: Smuggler Note
After escaping the Capitol Building you'll explore a flooded subway. After escaping two soldiers, you'll swim ahead - there's a platform on the left with a corpse and a letter.
Bill's Town artifact collectibles
Bill's Town - unsurprisingly - covers everything that happens in Bill's town, from your arrival in the woods to your hurried escape in a car. This area is a little more open than anywhere before, so you'll need to explore more to find what you're looking for.
Bill's Town - The Woods
Artifact #18: Pills Note
After crossing the fence with a plank bridge, you'll drop down to a small building with a shed in front of it, with a sleeping clicker inside. Head into the building itself via the steps, and this note is lying on the floor in the upstairs office.
Artifact #19: Note to Bob
As you head down the main street after Ellie opens the gate for you, make your way right, to the barricade at the end. Tangled in the barbed wire is another artifact.
Artifact #20: Perimeter Note
On the left side of main street (looking down the road) is the Marquis Music Store. Enter and head to the back room to find this note atop a desk.
Artifact #21: Note to Rachel
After getting the bow and climbing over the rooftops, you'll end up dropping down to street level again and crouching under a wire. Immediately turn left to the door Ellie's nervous about - upstairs inside is a note, on the right-hand table.
Bill's Town - Safehouse
Artifact #22: Bill's Map
Once inside Bill's safehouse, converted from an old bar, look to the stack of crates near the bar itself. This rests atop them, and there's the first of The Last of Us Training Manuals in here too if you want it.
Artifact #23: Fences Note
Don't go to Bill yet. After that, turn around and enter the small back room to find this next artifact atop a small table.
Artifact #24: Hunters Note
Make a right at the top of the stairs after leaving the bar to enter a kitchen. You'll find this The Last of Us artifact on a small table inside.
Artifact #25: Bombs Note
Bill will lead you to another safehouse in a church, giving you shotguns and a nail bomb. When heading to the top floor of the church, take a right before the exit window to enter Bills' room. On his desk is another artifact.
Bill's Town - Graveyard
Artifact #26: Boy's Diary
After climbing over a truck and dropping out of a treehouse into a garden, you'll reach a relatively safe house. Go inside, head upstairs and take a right. Make another right inside this children's room to find an artifact near the window.
Bill's Town - High School Escape
Artifact #27: Note from Frank
Before pushing the car, take some time to explore the house. Head to the back bedroom to find this atop a desk.
Artifact #28: Note from Frank (Crumpled)
After collecting the Note from Frank, speak to Bill in the garage. He'll read the note and throw it on the ground in anger. You can then pick the note up again - it counts as another collectible.
Pittsburgh artifact collectibles
By far the biggest section of the game, Pittsburgh is everything from the ambush and decoy by hunters, to the hotel, to the armored car, all the way to the nighttime escape with Henry and Sam. Once you see Joel and Ellie jump off a bridge, you can finally move to the next phase of the guide.
Pittsburgh - Alone and Forsaken
Artifact #29: Siphon Hose
Bill will give this to Joel at the end of the previous chapter.
Artifact #30: Tourists Manifest
After escaping the initial ambush, Ellie will help you open a metal door to get inside a grisly garage. In here, on the right side of the room, is an artifact. There's also one of The Last of Us Tools, which you should grab.
Artifact #31: Ambush Map
Head upstairs and straight down the corridor to the opposite door, where there's a small room with a workbench for The Last of Us weapon upgrades. Turn around upon entering to find this pinned to the wall.
Artifact #32: Lost Hill Note
When you reach the military checkpoint, hop over the right sandbag pile (the one near the graffiti that Ellie points out). Check in the security booth here for a well-hidden artifact.
Artifact #33: Traitors Flyer
After moving through the turnstile, there will be a large covered area in front of you. Head toward it and turn around 180 degrees to find this artifact plastered to the wall.
Artifact #34: Abandon Zone Note
At the book of the bookstore, on the ground floor, right hand side, is a small kitchen for employees with this note resting on a counter.
Artifact #35: Applicant Checklist
Before heading to the top floor of the bookstore, head to the front of the store and check behind the staircase there, on the right hand side as you enter the main doors (or left if you're looking back at them). You'll find another artifact on a shelf underneath.
Artifact #36: Lost Areas Map
In the top corner of the bookstore's upper floor is a small cafe, with a shiv door next to it. Break inside to find lots of supplies and this artifact.
Artifact #37: Mother's Letter
Proceed until a short cut scene with hunters taking a plank occurs. Make an immediate left to spot another shiv door marked with a red "X" and blue awning over it. Get inside, and you'll find an artifact atop a chair ahead of you.
Artifact #38: Stash Note
When you swim through the green muck to help Ellie reach the plank, hang left toward this submerged storage unit. Swim through it to enter a flooded coffee shop with a staircase in the rear. Head up those stairs, and follow the room as it wraps around to the right to find an artifact sitting on a desk.
Pittsburgh - Hotel Lobby
Artifact #39: Note to Staff
After using the ladder to bypass the broken staircase, turn right. You can shimmy along the edges here to reach an open suitcase in front of some double doors. This note lies inside that suitcase.
Artifact #40: Hotel Keycard
You'll find this in the area where you fight the Bloater. After taking out all the infected, head to the upper floor via the stairwell. Follow the rooms as they wrap around to the right to find a security room. In here, this artifact rests next to a stack of televisions. (This unlocks your exit door, so you'll need to obtain it anyway.) For more details on this tough area, we put together a full page on The Last of Us keycard and finding the generator too.
Pittsburgh - Financial District
Artifact #41: Fireflies Note
Battle your way through the plaza where Joel gives Ellie the rifle, and clear out all the goons. On the right will be a building selling "Don Fiocchi Subs". Enter and head to the back room, the walk-in freezer, to find this item on the floor.
Artifact #42: Final Attack Note
Up ahead you'll encounter two patrolling hunters after climbing some stairs. There's a long office on the right - at the very end, behind a desk, is this The Last of Us Part 1 artifact.
Artifact #43: Mob Attack Note
As you come around a corner street, there will be enemies on a ledge of the Delta Direct building. Head inside that building via the left entrance, the one under the sign, and take the stairs up. Once on the top floor, check behind the reception desk for a hidden artifact.
Artifact #44: Truck Note
Before leaving the area, you'll pass by the Ration Depot. Enter and move straight ahead past the first desk to find an artifact in the main waiting area.
Pittsburgh - Escape the City
Artifact #45: Trial Note
Once inside Henry's safehouse, head straight ahead to enter a boardroom, with this in the corner besides the table.
The Suburbs artifact collectibles
The Suburbs chapter actually starts some time before reach them, as you'll wake up on a beach and have to navigate some creepy sewers first. The chapter ends after a section with a sniper, and a cutscene where things get pretty dark.
The Suburbs - Sewers
Artifact #46: Boat Note
As you walk across the beach after escaping the car on the bridge, Ellie will point out a wrecked boat. Climb aboard and open the bridge to find this immediately inside.
Artifact #47: Sewers Note
After entering the sewer, make a right at the fork to find a locked gate. Send Ellie through the nearby vent, and she'll get the gate open. You'll find this on a table inside.
Artifact #48: Trading Note
In the chamber flooded with water, open the door on the same platform as the raft. Take out the infected dozing inside and head into the back corner of the room. You'll find a bunch of supplies, as well as this artifact.
Artifact #49: Rain Catcher Note
When you encounter the small group of infected after getting the Shorty (a favourite of the The Last of Us weapons), take them out and make a right. In this area full of rain-catching barrels, you'll find another artifact atop a covered table.
Artifact #50: Cornered Note
Head up the winding stairs just patch the rain-catcher room, and there will be a blue door on your left. Open it, and head into the back left corner to find another artifact beside a corpse.
Artifact #51: Kid's Drawing
This is found in the first large room when separated from Ellie and Henry. Before leaving the room, you'll pass through what Eric calls a "classroom." You'll find this on the bookshelf in that classroom.
The Suburbs - Suburbs
Artifact #52: Looting Note
Enter the first open house you see in the Suburbs, on the right side, and head upstairs. It's moved a little from the original game; head through the door on the right to find children's nursery room. On the cabinet is this piece of paper.
Artifact #53: Father's Note
Further down the road is this red brick house with a workbench in the open garage. Head inside, go upstairs and check the bedroom with the computer desk for this artifact.
Artifact #54: Survivors Note
Now enter the house next door to that, just past the ice cream truck, and head to the second floor. Enter the bedroom with the safe to find this in the back left corner.
Artifact #55: Matchbook
Now head to the top floor of the same building to find another artifact as you reach the top of the stairs.
Tommy's Dam artifact collectibles
Tommy's Dam is a shorter, punchier area, broken into two halves - the dam itself, where you get a tour and then a bit of action to follow, then the ranch, where you ride on horseback for a rescue.
Tommy's Dam - Hydroelectric Dam
Artifact #56: Power Plant Map
Just before entering the power plant proper, after using the barrier as a bridge and as you come past the yellow bulldozer, hang left to find a small security building. You'll find a map pinned to the wall inside.
Artifact #57: Plant Schematics
Some time later, inside the dam and on your way outside during the bandit attack, stop by the same table where the engineers were perusing the plant schematics and where there were some of The Last of Us supplements. You can now pick the schematics up - they're not using them right now, after all.
The University artifact collectibles
Another bigger chapter, the University is, obviously, everything that happens in the confines of UEC. You ride up on horseback to start with, and the chapter ends after somebody suffers a grievous injury during a skirmish.
The University - Go Big Horns!
Artifact #58: Sniper's Nest Log
When you enter the campus grounds, go further in but stop before the first barrier you need the horse to vault, and turn right into the loading bay with the Flamethrower. From there, take the stairs and head to the top floor to exit onto a balcony. You'll find this artifact out there, along with some supplies.
Artifact #59: Wall Panel Note
Later on you'll hit a gate that needs power to turn on. On the wall to the left of it is this obvious explanation of why it's busted.
Artifact #60: UEC Campus Map
Later you'll hit another depowered gate, and have to crouch through a half-obstructed doorway. Just ahead is another map to stuff in your pocket.
Artifact #61: Student's Journal
After that, head upstairs and enter the second dorm room on the left. The owner's desk has their journal inside one of the drawers.
Artifact #62: Newspaper Clipping
After dealing with the bloater and clickers downstairs, when you return back up to the second floor of the dorm, make a right out of the stairwell and enter the first door on your right (Room 205-B). Make a left inside the dorm room to find this note.
The University - Science Building
Artifact #63: Office Recorder
Make a left at the top of the stairwell in the science building to find two doors: one closed, one opened. Head through the opened one on the left to find this artifact on a table near a framed picture.
Artifact #64: Fungal X-Rays
After emerging from the tented hallway, make a left. You'll find these on a counter near the window.
Artifact #65: Lab Recorder
In the very next room, you'll encounter the monkeys again. You can also find this artifact on a large table in the middle of the room.
Artifact #66: Firefly's Recorder
Continue into the next room, and Joel will pick up a recorder during a cut scene. This is automatically added to your collection.
Lakeside Resort artifact collectibles
The Lakeside Resort is a long chapter, but one with very few collectibles in, as you spend most of it playing as Ellie instead of Joel. Still, there are some, and a lot of "new" collectibles to look back on now you have access to Ellie's backpack. This chapter starts with a cute rabbit, and ends with the boss fight and fire in the bar.
Lakeside Resort - The Hunt
Artifacts #67-#75: No Pun Intended, No Pun Intended: Volume Too, To Get to the Other Side!, Riley's Pendant, Sam's Robot, Walkman, Switchblade, Note from Mom, Joel & Sarah Photo
These will automatically be in Ellie's possession upon starting the chapter.
IMPORTANT – make sure you go into Ellie's rucksack and view each of these items, turning them over if the option is given and listening to any comments Ellie makes in full, so that they all register as having actually been found.
Artifact #76: Lake Resort Map
A long way after the last one, Joel will automatically have this in his possession once you regain control of him after Ellie's battle with David.
Lakeside Resort - Cabin Resort
Artifact #77: Ellie's Backpack
During your search for Ellie, Joel will lock a door behind him and pick this up during a cut scene.
Artifact #78: Meat Ledger
Make a right from the shelf with Ellie's backpack to find another artifact on another shelf in the same room.
The Bus Depot artifact collectibles
Despite being called the Bus Depot, only a small amount of this chapter actually takes place there, and this section covers everything from the arrival in Salt Lake City on the highway, all the way to Joel and Ellie fighting the current when they accidentally fall into rushing water.
Bus Depot - Highway Exit
Artifact #79: Family Photograph
At the start of the chapter, you'll pass an RV along the highway. Head inside to find this on a counter.
Artifact #80: Note to Wife
When you cut left into the bus depot proper, stick to the left wall to reach a pile of luggage. You'll find this artifact inside an open suitcase.
Artifact #81: Salt Lake Q.Z. Map
When you arrive outside at the triage, head straight ahead to the farthest medical tent. Inside, you'll find this atop a table.
Artifact #82: Joel & Sarah Photo
Just before leaving the triage, Ellie will tell Joel she's "got something for him." Turn around and choose to speak to her to receive the photo.
The Firefly Lab artifact collectibles
Though technically not the last level, it really is - the Firefly Lab has the last artifact collectibles in it, and this is where you experience everything that happens in the hospital before getting in the car.
The Firefly Lab - The Hospital
Artifact #83: Surgeon's Recorder
After fighting through the enemies, you'll run into the West Wing and up some stairs, blocking them behind you. As soon as you emerge from the stairwell, this will be in front of you on a counter.
Artifact #84: Marlene's Recorder 1
From your entrance via the stairwell, make two quick right turns to enter a small room. Inside, you'll find another artifact recorder on a desk.
Artifact #85: Marlene's Journal
Continue around the corridor to find a large quarantine tent. Enter to find another artifact on a table inside.
Artifact #86: Marlene's Recorder 2
As you head down the final corridor to Ellie's operating room, make a right at the first door and open it. In here, you'll find another artifact on a table near the window - the last true artifact collectible in the whole game.
