Last updated: 12/21/2019
Camp Verde, Arizona
Street Address
385 S. Main St.
Camp Verde, AZ 86322
Mailing Address
385 S. Main St
Camp Verde, AZ 86322

Hours

Tuesday - Saturday
10 AM - 4 PM
Sunday - Monday
closed
Closed Sundays and Mondays and major holidays.

Admissions

Admission to the museum and park is free.

Free

Staff

Kenneth J. Zoll
phone: 928-567-0066
Description

The Verde Valley Archaeology Center & Museum is a research institution on the archaeology of the area with a museum of artifacts from throughout the area.

Mission

The mission of the Verde Valley Archaeology Center is to curate local artifacts and make them available for research and education.

History

The Verde Valley Archaeology Center was founded in 2010 and has been in the current location since 2012. In 2015 the Center acquired 15.28 acres of land in Camp Verde that contains a prehistoric village which will be the site a future museum. The property contains a .4-mile interpretive trail that is free and open from dawn to dusk.

Artifact Collections

Most artifacts are of the Sinagua Culture that occupied the area from about 650 to 1450 CE. There is also an exhibit of Yavapai-Apache Nation artifacts.

Research Collections

The Center's research collection contains nearly 100,000 items from the area.

Educational Programs

The Center maintains a docent program, museum tours, monthly lectures and periodic film festivals

Facilities

The Center has a small research lab, library, classroom, gift shop and exhibit area.

Learning Center Rental

The Archaeology Learning Center is a room available for conference and meeting rental. The room can accommodate up to 40 theater-style, or about 24 classroom-style. The room comes with tables, chairs, a projection screen and free wi-fi. A kitchen with microwave, refrigerator and sink is available for use. Food and drink is permitted in the room but cannot be taken into the museum area. The Center is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm (closed on Sunday and Monday). Use of the Center at other hours or on Sunday/Monday is permitted but arrangements must be made in advance to pick up the key.

Governance

The Center is managed by a 15-member Board of Directors.

Become a member of Verde Valley Archaeology Center to receive a 15% discount on tour fees as well as in the Center gift shop.

Library
Access: General Public, Students, Scholars, Members
Appointment required: Yes
Publications

The publication division publishes several books and newsletters.

Verde Valley Archaeologist Quarterly newsletter
Understanding the Rock Art of Sedona and the Verde Valley
Sinagua Sunwatchers
An Archaeology and Geological Study of the V bar V Heritage Site
Services

In addition to the museum, the Center is the official nonprofit educational partner of the National Park Service for the Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot national monuments. The Archaeology Field Institute conducts guided hikes to the monuments and to private archaeological preserves.

Partners

The Verde Valley Archaeology Center is committed to work with organizations with similar missions:

National Park Service

Verde Valley Archaeology Field Institute (VVAFI) is a program of the official nonprofit National Park Service partner, the Verde Valley Archaeology Center. VVAFI is proud to offer guided hiking tours, lectures and classes exploring a variety of fun and compelling subjects lead by trained guides and field experts.

The Archaeological Conservancy

The Archaeological Conservancy, established in 1980, is the only national non-profit organization dedicated to acquiring and preserving the best of our nation's remaining archaeological sites. Based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the Conservancy also operates regional offices in Mississippi, Maryland, Ohio, and California. The Conservancy currently owns five properties in the Verde Valley. The Verde Valley Archaeology Center is the local agent for the Conservancy. We monitor the sites for vandalism and work with local landowners for additional properties that may be protected. For more information about the Conservancy contact them at (505) 266-1540 or tacsw@nm.net, or contact Ken Zoll, the Center's Executive Director.

Public Lands Alliance

We are a member of the Public Lands Alliance which is a unified community dedicated to the preservation, enrichment and enjoyment of America's most treasured public places. It is a national voice for nonprofit public lands partners -- a leader in growing effective and successful partnerships and a vital network for nonprofit leaders and public land managers.

American Association for State and Local History

We are a member of the American Association for State and Local History. We support the organization and its programs and participate in the StEPs Program. Meeting standards is important for even the smallest of organizations. The great benefit of StEPs is that it breaks national standards down into Basic, Good, and Better levels so you work incrementally to meet them. Letting your community and stakeholders know your organization is striving to meet national museum standards builds credibility and helps you justify funding requests.

National Association of Reciprocal Museums

The North American Reciprocal Museum (NARM) Association is one of the largest reciprocal membership programs in the world! NARM has over 700 arts, cultural, and historical institutions along with botanical gardens, children’s museums, science and technology centers and more that offer their individual NARM qualified members reciprocal benefits. Center members who are at least at the $100 level receive a gold sticker on their membership cards for access to the participating museums.

Gift Shop
Special Event Rental
Group Tours
ADA

Both the museum and trail are ADA accessible.

Wheelchair Accessible
Parking
Restrooms
Exhibitions
Museum Events
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