Sedona AZ (August 18, 2014) – The Verde Valley Archaeology Center, Camp Verde, Arizona, has received a major endorsement of its conservation efforts and abilities in an assessment report conducted by the Arizona State Museum.
The mission of the Verde Valley Archaeology Center is to preserve archaeological sites and collections, to curate the collections locally, and to foster a deeper understanding of prehistory and American Indian history in the Sedona-Verde Valley area. Since its founding in 2010, it have grown to over 360 members.
The Camp Verde Center houses a small museum, research laboratory, curation space, Children’s Archaeology Adventure area, and a classroom. During July 2014, the Center received the prestigious Governor’s Award in Public Archaeology which recognized its work in artifact and site preservation, for providing support for volunteer efforts, and for public education programming that aids in the preservation of Arizona’s heritage resources.
Earlier this year, the Center received a grant from the National Institute for Conservation and the Institute of Museum and Library Services to conduct an assessment of its facilities, policies and practices in the conservation of artifacts and museum management. Dr. Nancy Odegaard, lead conservator and head of the preservation division at Arizona State Museum in Tucson, was contracted to conduct the study.
Dr. Odegaard is also a professor in the University of Arizona School of Anthropology and Department of Materials Science and Engineering. She holds a doctorate in applied science through the conservation and cultural heritage science studies department of the University of Canberra, Australia. Accompanying Dr. Odegaard was Arizona State Museum Conservation Lab Coordinator Gina Watkinson, a Post Graduate Fellow from the University of Delaware and a Graduate Intern from the University of California at Getty. This team spent two days providing a general conservation assessment of the Center’s collection, environmental conditions, policies and practices.
The final report of the assessment was received on August 15, 2014. Dr. Odegaard noted that the “professionalism in the activities of the museum staff is very evident.” The report concludes that the Center “is well qualified to be an archaeological collections repository for Federal, State, Town or private collections in Arizona.” This is a major accomplishment for such a new organization.
Dr. Todd Bostwick, the Center’s Director of Archaeology, stated that the “results of our conservation assessment have shown that the Verde Valley Archaeology Center is adhering to the highest standards and thus is qualified to accept archaeological collections from both public and private land. This is another milestone in the short history of the VVAC.”
Arizona Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick congratulated the Center, writing, “I am thrilled that the Verde Valley Archaeology Center has been recognized for the preservation and educational work that has such an impact on our Camp Verde community and across the State.”
One of the outcomes of this assessment is to provide improvement processes and procedures. As expected, a list of recommended curatorial items was included in the final report for which the Center will seek grants.
For additional information about the Center or this report, contact the Center at 928-567-0066.
!!!!!! a coup for CV & its 300 plus members in the VV, Come buy CV fresh fruits and vegetables while they’re still on and visit our fort. There you go!!!!!!