In 1998, the San Diego Archaeological Center took on a formidable task: resolving The Curation Crisis. Excavated artifacts neglected for over 30 years needed to be made available to researchers and the public as an important cultural resource. The Center was designed to effectively preserve, manage and use archaeological collections to meet this need. The Center is now considered a model institution at the local, state and national level.

Our 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 the history of the San Diego region through educational programs and museum-quality exhibits.

Our mission is to preserve archaeological collections and promote their educational, scientific and cultural use. The collections date back 10,000 years and represent the cultural diversity that has always been a part of the regional history.