Welcome to the website of the San Diego Archaeological Center. The Center is the only organization dedicated to the care, management and use, or curation, of San Diego County archaeological artifacts. It is a nonprofit, public benefit corporation that depends upon the support of its members and the generosity of its donors, as well as private and government grants, to fulfill its mission, which is to preserve archaeological collections and promote their educational, scientific and culture use to benefit a diverse public. The Center vision is to sustain an archaeological center and museum where artifacts
will be cared for in a state-of-the-art environment
are available for further academic and professional research
are used in educational programs and museum exhibits so the public can enjoy learning about the prehistory and history of the San Diego region through educational programs and museum quality exhibits.
The Center museum is open to the public, with a suggested donation of two dollars per person or five dollars per family. Visiting hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and the second Saturday of every month, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Click here for a calendar of events. Please call for special tours, 760-291-0370.
The Center is located at 16666 San Pasqual Valley Road (State Route 78) Escondido, California, 1.5 miles east of the San Diego Wild Animal Park. Click here for a map.
Currently on exhibit at the Center is Moments in TIME, An Exhibition of San Diego History. This exhibit recounts some of the most significant events in American history as lived by San Diegans and recorded by the artifacts they left behind. The historic events featured in this exhibit were selected because we are living many similar experiences today. What will we leave behind for future archaeologists to find that will tell of our experiences today?
Virtual Exhibits and Newsletters The text and graphics of many past and present exhibits are available on line, in PDF format, as are past and current editions of the Center newsletter. Click here to access these resources.
Archaeology: the scientific study of material remains (as fossil relics, artifacts, and monuments) of past human life and activities. |
Artifact: something created by humans, usually for a practical purpose; especially: an object remaining from a particular period. | Curation: the care, management, and use of archaeological collections. Care means to prevent deterioration, management means that collections are organized and accessible, and use means making collections available for scientific research, public education and cultural use. |
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Last updated August 8, 2007
© 2003-2007 San Diego Archaeological Center