Pursuant to the Arizona Antiquities Act (AAA; A.R.S. § 41-841 et seq.), the Arizona State Museum (ASM) administers the preservation of archaeological and paleontological discoveries on state lands in Arizona. State land is defined as land owned or controlled by the State of Arizona or by any agency, instrumentality, or political subdivision of the State of Arizona, including any county or municipal corporation.
Among ASM's state-mandated responsibilities:
- ASM maintains site records in the Archaeological Records Office (ARO), curates archaeological collections in the Archaeological Repository, and holds project reports and records in ASM's library and archives under terms of the Arizona Antiquities Act.
- ASM's Permits Office issues permits for archaeological and paleontological surveys and excavations conducted on state land.
- ASM's State Repatriation Office oversees the discovery and repatriation of human remains encountered on state (A.R.S. § 41-844) and private (A.R.S. § 41-865) land in Arizona.
The Cultural Resources Management Services web pages provide information on all aspects of the museum's state-mandated responsibilities and provide access to electronic documents, forms, and hyperlinks to key references. All service requests must be through the ASM Request Quote for Services website.
- Report archaeological and paleontological discoveries to Shannon Plummer (splummer@arizona.edu or 520-621-4795).
- Report human remains encounters to Cristin Lucas (asm-repatriation@email.arizona.edu or 520-626-0320).
- Click here for a list of archaeological consultants that can assist in complying with state and private land laws for Arizona.
Routine Office Hours
- Archaeological Records Office - Open to the public Tuesday through Thursday, by appointment
- Archaeological Repository - Open Monday through Friday, by appointment
- Permits Office - Open Monday through Friday, by appointment
- Repatriation Office - Open Monday through Friday, by appointment
- Library - Open to the public Tuesday through Thursday, 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Archives - By appointment only, Tuesday through Thursday, 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.