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  • Open Archery Range

    Featured
    San Diego Archaeological Center 16666 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido, CA, United States
    SDAC Events

    We're stringing our bows for a spot of archery featuring fresh hay bale targets right here at the San Diego Archaeological Center! Shoot some rounds and learn about how different cultures around the world crafted, hunted, and fought with bows and arrows. This event is family friendly. Kids will enjoy a supervised range at the front of the museum all to themselves, with an adults-only range for more powerful bows in the back. No previous experience required. Please bring your own gear if possible. A limited amount of gear will be available to borrow - first come, first served. Cost: $15; SDAC Members Free

  • Open Archery Range

    Featured
    San Diego Archaeological Center 16666 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido, CA, United States
    SDAC Events

    We're stringing our bows for a spot of archery featuring fresh hay bale targets right here at the San Diego Archaeological Center! Shoot some rounds and learn about how different cultures around the world crafted, hunted, and fought with bows and arrows. This event is family friendly. Kids will enjoy a supervised range at the front of the museum all to themselves, with an adults-only range for more powerful bows in the back. No previous experience required. Please bring your own gear if possible. A limited amount of gear will be available to borrow - first come, first served. Cost: $15; SDAC Members Free

  • romotional flyer for the San Diego Archaeological Center’s "Kids Dig Archaeology" Summer Day Camp, running June 16–20, Monday to Friday from 10 AM to 2:30 PM. The camp is for grades K–5 and costs $395 for the week or $85 per day. The flyer highlights activities including nature walks, archery and atlatl, ancient games, Ice Age rock art, cordage and pottery, and lots of fun. The design includes earthy tones, hand-drawn illustrations of rocks, artifacts, and tools, and bold text emphasizing the archaeological theme.

    Archaeology Summer Camp

    Featured Archaeology Summer Camp
    San Diego Archaeological Center 16666 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido, CA, United States
    SDAC Events

    We are excited to announce our summer day camp for elementary school students! Whether your child or grandchild is a budding archaeologist or just eager to experience the past in a whole new way, our camp offers something for everyone. Get ready for a week filled with adventure, discovery, and endless fun! With our a la carte style day camp, you can choose individual days or choose them all! Space is limited to 20 campers. Grades: K-5 Dates: June 16-20, 2025 Schedule: Monday: Welcome to the Ice Age Tuesday: Fun with the Ancient Maya Wednesday: Ancient Egypt Thursday: The Roman Empire Friday: Kumeyaay Day Hours: 10 AM to 2:30 PM Extended care hours: Early drop-off (starting at 8:30 AM) and late pickup (ending at 4 PM) are available for an additional fee. Pricing: Full Session (Monday-Friday): $425 $395 Daily Rate: $85 per day Extended Care Hours: $20 per camper per day A late charge of $1 a minute begins accruing after scheduled pick-up time. Enroll Your Child in Archaeology Summer Day Camp Registrations are non-refundable. Enrollment information will be sent within 7 business days of registration. Please note that registration is not confirmed until SDAC staff send a confirmation email with enrollment information. Many of our activities are outside in the San Pasqual Valley. All campers MUST wear close toed shoes, and bring a hat, water bottle, and sunscreen. Campers must provide their own snacks and a lunch brought in a clearly labelled brown paper bag. All lunches are stored in our communal fridge, so we ask that no peanut products be brought to the San Diego Archaeological Center for the safety of those who may have a severe allergy.

  • A promotional banner for a photogrammetry lecture titled "Modeling Mesoamerican Masks: Using Photogrammetry to Bring Cultural Heritage to Life." The banner features two rows of various traditional Mesoamerican masks, each unique in design, color, and expression. The title text is centered on a rust-colored horizontal band across the middle of the image. The masks include human faces, animals, and fantastical creatures, representing diverse cultural styles and craftsmanship.

    Lecture: Modeling Mesoamerican Masks

    Featured
    San Diego Archaeological Center 16666 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido, CA, United States
    SDAC Events

    Discover how a 3D modeling project at San Diego State University is bringing a historic collection of Mesoamerican masks into the digital age. This in-person lecture will explore how these digital models are enhancing teaching and public interpretation while tracing the deep history of masks as ritual, funerary, and ceremonial objects in ancient societies like Teotihuacan. The presentation will also examine how these traditions endure today in community practices such as danzas, offering a look at the ongoing cultural significance of masks across centuries of change. Cost: Pay what you wish Registration is closed. Please pay at door. About the Presenters: Keith Chan is a local anthropology instructor at Grossmont College, MiraCosta College, and SDSU. He is especially interested in using immersive technology in his teaching to bring students face-to-face with culture and biology. He created the virtual anthropology museum AnVRopomotron, which won the first Poly Award for Best Educational Experience, and is working on PaleoCalifornia, which turns the Pleistocene into a virtual reality theme park ride. He was also a recent research fellow at SDSU's Virtual Immersive Learning and Teaching center, in which he launched the current project on masks. Irene Gonzalez received her M.A. in Latin American Studies from SDSU, where her research focused on cultural preservation. Her work has explored the importance of community museums, specifically in Mexico, where she conducted field research in Oaxaca. She is currently the Collections Coordinator for the Mesoamerican Mask Collection at SDSU’s Center for Latin American Studies. Irene is passionate about bridging technology and cultural heritage in ways that are equitable and grounded in deep respect for Indigenous knowledge systems.  

  • Art with an Archaeologist: Mesoamerican Masks

    Featured
    San Diego Archaeological Center 16666 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido, CA, United States
    SDAC Events

    Following our lecture on Modeling Mesoamerican Masks, join us for a special Art with an Archaeologist workshop and make your own tissue paper mask. All ages (including adults) are welcome. Pro Tip: Attend our lecture on Modeling Mesoamerican Masks: Using Photogrammetry to Bring Cultural Heritage to Life to get inspired!

    Free

  • Historic Archery Day

    Featured
    San Diego Archaeological Center 16666 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido, CA, United States
    SDAC Events

    We're stringing our bows for a spot of archery featuring fresh hay bale targets right here at the San Diego Archaeological Center! Shoot some rounds and learn about how different cultures around the world crafted, hunted, and fought with bows and arrows. This event is family friendly. Kids will enjoy a supervised range at the front of the museum all to themselves, with an adults-only range for more powerful bows in the back. No previous experience required. Please bring your own gear if possible. A limited amount of gear will be available to borrow - first come, first served. Cost: $15; SDAC Members Free

    Free – $15

  • Museum Closed

    San Diego Archaeological Center 16666 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido, CA, United States
    SDAC Events

  • Museum Reopening Open House

    San Diego Archaeological Center 16666 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido, CA, United States
    SDAC Events

    To celebrate our museum reopening, join us rain or shine for a free open house with hands-on activities, a lecture, and light refreshments. In addition to viewing our upgraded facilities, be the first to see our new and revitalized exhibits, including the debut of Kumeyaay Cosmology on loan from the Imperial Valley Desert Museum. This immersive exhibit explores the Kumeyaay people’s relationship with the seasons, stars, and celestial events.  Event Schedule 10 AM: Museum opens 10:30 AM - 11 AM: Opening ceremony 11 AM - 1 PM: Hands-on activities 1 PM - 2 PM: Fact or Fiction: Hollywood, Hoaxes, and Hearsay Lecture  

  • Pseudoscience Lecture: Fact or Fiction? Hoaxes, Hearsay, and Hollywood

    San Diego Archaeological Center 16666 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido, CA, United States
    SDAC Events

    This lecture stems from one of the Center's recent exhibits which investigates our irrational fascination with fantastical stories and ideas about human history. Public Archaeology Director Adam Niesley will explore the scientific evidence (or lack thereof) for commonly held archaeological beliefs and how conspiracies develop.

  • Fall Into Archaeology Day Camp

    Featured Fall Into Archaeology Day Camp
    San Diego Archaeological Center 16666 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido, CA, United States
    SDAC Events

    Whether your child or grandchild is a budding archaeologist or just eager to experience the past in a whole new way, our camp offers something for everyone. Get ready for a week filled with adventure, discovery, and endless fun! Space is limited to 30 campers per session. Sign up now and let the adventure begin! Our autumn day camp for elementary school students will take place the week of Thanksgiving. Choose individual days or choose them all! Grades: 2-7 Schedule: November 24 to 26 Hours: 10 AM to 2:30 PM Extended care hours: Early drop-off (starting at 8:30 AM) and late pickup (ending at 4 PM) are available for an additional fee. For pricing and registration, see our Fall Into Archaeology Day Camp page.