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Mission

The mission of the San Diego University State Collections Management program is to preserve and curate artifacts and their associated documents for academic research, public education, and use by Native Americans, archaeologists, historians, students, and others.

The Collections Management Program also has an active Education Outreach program where experienced graduate students bring artifacts to the classroom for an interactive hands-on experience.

History

The history of San Diego State Collections Management began in the late 1950's when SDSU acquired archaeological and ethnographic collections. Most of our collections are the result of archaeological excavations by students and faculty at sites in the San Diego area. SDSU also curates collections from archaeological sites around the world, including other parts of California, Arizona, Nebraska, the Northwest Coast of North America, the Arctic, the American Woodlands, Baja California, Bolivia, Peru, Denmark, Sweden, Rome, Mesopotamia, and Africa. In addition, ethnographic items collected by John P. Harrington and others are curated at Collections Management program.

Archaeological collections curated at SDSU represent a significant resource for research and education. Collections Management has an active research program with opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students to undertake independent studies and internships. Opportunities to learn about local archaeology, artifact identification, exhibitions, curation, and federal and state regulations are abundant.