Verde Valley Archaeology Center

The Verde Valley Archaeology Center (VVAC) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) public charity. The mission of the VVAC is to preserve archaeological sites and collections, to curate the collections locally, to develop partnerships with American Indians and the communities it serves, and to foster a deeper understanding of prehistory and American Indian history in the Verde Valley of Central Arizona through the science of archaeology.

The Center is the only organization in the Verde Valley region dedicated to the care, management and use ('curation') of archaeological artifacts found throughout the Verde Valley region. The Center's vision is to be the foremost research and educational institution devoted to the preservation, interpretation, and celebration of archaeology of the Sedona/Verde Valley area. In 2014, the Center received a grant from the National Institute for Conservation and the Institute of Museum and Library Services to conduct a Conservation Assessment of our facilities, policies and practices in the conservation of artifacts and museum management.  The final report of the assessment noted that the “professionalism in the activities of the museum staff is very evident." The report concluded that the Center “is well qualified to be an archaeological collections repository for Federal, State, Town or private collections in Arizona." The Center now maintains a repository of almost 100,000 artifacts with many unique items on display in the museum.

Our Advisory Council includes the cultural director of the Hopi Tribe as well as the cultural director for the Yavapai-Apache Nation. Through regular collaborations, and a grant from the Institute for Museum and Library Service, the Center developed an extensive exhibit on the Yavapai and Apache inhabitants of the area. The Sinagua Culture, that represents the bulk of our archaeological artifacts, are the ancestors of the Hopi Tribe.