One of the main goals of the OSA is preservation of the artifacts that inform our knowledge of NC history. The material remains of our predecessors are part of the archaeological record and it is our professional responsibility to ensure their care for future generations. Our growing collections moved from the basement of the Heartt House to the newly renovated OSA Research Center on West Lane Street in downtown Raleigh in 1997. We now house over 11 million artifacts from state projects and compliance-related archaeology, including many of our State Historic Sites!

The Research Center staff is responsible for maintaining current curation standards and federal regulations pertaining to 36 CFR 79 Federal Repositories for the storage of these artifact collections and their associated records, facilitating academic and professional researchers, and providing opportunities for the public to access their cultural heritage. We have a volunteer program, by application, for individuals interested in learning about archaeological curation and the work of the OSA! (Our volunteer program is temporarily suspended due to COVID-19.)

For more information, visit https://archaeology.ncdcr.gov/programs/curation or email archaeology@ncdcr.gov!