Collections
The San Diego Archaeological Center is dedicated to fulfilling the intent of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to preserve examples of the major periods of California history and to offset the impact of land development pressures on cultural resources. The Center is committed to the preservation of our archaeological legacy and serves as a curation technology resource to federal, state and local government and private companies. View our Collections Management Policy.
Search for a SDAC Collection
The curation vaults of the Center contain over 800 archaeological collections. A list of our curated collections and the corresponding trinomials is available for download in a searchable document. For a complete list of collections and/or sites stewarded at the Center, please email collections@sandiegoarchaeology.org.
Center Collections Available to Researchers
The San Diego Archaeological Center houses collections that can be made available to researchers. The Center will also provide assistance by its own group of interns. For more information, or to share your project with the Center, please contact collections staff at collections@sandiegoarchaeology.org.
Contact and Hours
Monday – Friday 10:00am – 3:00pm, closed weekends and federal holidays. Appointments are recommended.
For more information about SDAC Collections, contact collections at collections@sandiegoarchaeology.org.
Donations
Please note: We do not accept unsolicited donations without a donation form.
Due to the high volume of donation offers the Center receives, we are unable to accept unsolicited objects, images, books, or documents unless you first submit a completed Donation Form. Once you have filled out the donation form, please email it to collections@sandiegoarchaeology.org.
Please do not send the original materials you wish to donate to the San Diego Archaeological Center until you have been contacted by Center staff.
If you are unable to complete the online Offer of Donation Form, please call the San Diego Archaeological Center at 760-291-0370 and request that a copy be mailed to you. Please try to include a photograph and measurements of the objects, images, or documents with your form. You may mail back your completed form to the address below.
Donations
San Diego Archaeological Center
16666 San Pasqual Valley Road
Escondido, CA 92027
Once the form is received, your proposed donation will be considered, and a staff member will contact you within four weeks. If we are interested in accepting your donation, SDAC staff will work with you to receive your donation. Following acceptance, you will be requested to sign a Deed of Gift to document your transfer of the items to the Center. If you have questions, concerns, or other issues you wish to discuss, please contact us at collections@sandiegoarchaeology.org.