Finding space to store archaeological collections

Abstract The United States has been in a serious ‘crisis’ regarding the storage and curation of archaeological collections since the 1970s when a number of federal, state, and tribal laws and regulations were issued to protect archaeological resources. As collections accumulated, repositories to curate and store them usually lacked space, trained staff, necessary funding, security, and research access. This chapter outlines the development of the curation crisis and its challenges, including costs, repository closures, ownership, orphan collections, creation and management of digital associated records, professional curation standards, and attitudes. The last section discusses the progress made to overcome these challenges through improved awareness, more use of collections, and cooperation among many stakeholders who have worked to create sustainable management practices.