During the mid-20th century, Western countries experienced economic recession, factory closures, and worker unemployment, leaving behind numerous industrial structures and facilities that evolved into so-called industrial heritage with the advent of the post-industrial era. Since the 21st century, international attention to industrial heritage has intensified. In 2003, the International Committee for the Conservation of the Industrial Heritage (TICCIH) drafted and promulgated the globally renowned Nizhny Tagil Charter, marking a new milestone in worldwide industrial heritage conservation and regeneration. Against this backdrop, scholars have increasingly dedicated efforts to academic research on industrial heritage preservation and revitalization. After over two decades of development, this field has achieved significant progress. To systematically map research trends and identify frontiers, this study conducts a bibliometric analysis using the Web of Science Core Collection database. After removing duplicates and irrelevant entries, 1,500 valid records were obtained. Regional and institutional affiliation analyses reveal that the majority of publications originate from Western countries, with Spain contributing the highest output. Subsequent keyword co-occurrence and clustering analyses generated a co-occurrence network and 20 clusters. Clusters containing semantically related terms—such as ‘cultural heritage’, ‘world heritage’, ‘intangible cultural heritage’, and ‘industrial heritage’; ‘sustainable energy’ and ‘circular economy’; ‘BIM’ and ‘3D modeling’; ‘decline’ and ‘post-industrial areas’; ‘Western Desert’ and ‘regional development’—were consolidated. The ten most prominent clusters were identified. Analysis of burst keywords within these clusters indicates that current research primarily focuses on three domains: (1) evaluation and management of industrial heritage, (2) conservation and regeneration methodologies, and (3) applications of digital technologies in the field. A chronological review of literature further reveals four distinct transformative dimensions in global industrial heritage practices: (1) Policy Framework: Transition from fragmented to systematic conservation; (2) Economic Role: Shift from ‘urban rust belts’ to economic growth catalysts; (3) Cultural Perception: Evolution from physical remnants to symbolic embodiments of collective memory; (4) Technological Innovation: Advancement from conventional restoration to digital empowerment. By systematically delineating these transitions and uncovering their pathways, this study provides theoretical foundations for future research on industrial heritage conservation and regeneration. Keyword: Industrial Heritage, Historical Preservation, Multidimensional Transitions, Bibliometric Analysis