San Diego Archaeological Center

The San Diego Archaeological Center is a curation facility and museum where  visitors can learn the story of how people have lived in San Diego County for the  past 10,000 years. In addition to its role as a museum, the Center serves as an  education and research facility and is the only local organization dedicated to  the collection, study, curation, and exhibition of San Diego County’s  archaeological artifacts. 

In 1998, the Center took on a formidable task: resolving The Curation Crisis.  Excavated artifacts that had been neglected for over 30 years needed to be  returned to the status of cultural resources. The Center was purpose-built to  effectively preserve, manage and use archaeological collections and is  considered a model institution at the local, state and national level. 

Their vision is to sustain an archaeological center where artifacts will not only be  cared for in a state-of-the-art environment, but where scientific research can be  facilitated and the public can enjoy learning about the prehistory and history of the San Diego region through educational programs and museum quality  exhibits. The Center’s greatest contribution to the community is providing  tangible history. The Center recognizes and respects the cultural diversity of the  community we serve—past, present and future. They strive to offer a balanced  interpretation of history using artifacts as visual and tactile evidence of the  people of San Diego and our common humanity.