Artifacts and Specimen at Approved Museums and Repositories

Information for Archaeologists, Paleontologists and Researchers

The official updated list of State-approved museums and curatorial repositories in Colorado:

Permitted researchers are expected to secure curation agreements with the closest geographically accepting State-Approved repository to their tested, excavated or collected sites. (Note: History Colorado in Denver serves the entire State generally only if no local repositories are available) Please check the map below:

A brochure for permitted archaeologists on the program along with guidance for the field and project planning:

This article by Katherine R. Singley reprinted with the permission of the author, provides some common advice for artifact care after excavation/collection:

This is a list of archaeological and paleontological sites with state held-in-trust collections and the name of the corresponding repository or repositories: (Please note: This list is not comprehensive and will be updated periodically. Please let us know of errors and omissions with State collections. The Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation (OAHP) also tracks some private and some Federal collection repository information which is not reflected in this list. If you are seeking the repository location of any non-State collections you should make an inquiry using OAHP's database and site file records.)    

The official State of Colorado guidelines for permitted researchers to follow for preparing collections for deposit at a State-approved facility: 

This form and inventory must be prepared by researchers with a State permit and signed-off by the repository representative as proof of collection deposit and a copy forwarded to the State Curation Coordinator: 

Optional Excel template for a collection inventory:

Please fill-out this form for requesting permission to perform destructive analysis research on a State collection:

Please fill-out this form for requesting permission to transport artifacts or specimen out of the State of Colorado for non-destructive analysis/preparation:

Looking for a Curation agreement with History Colorado (HC)? Please note that History Colorado serves only as a backup in case regional and local State-approved repositories are not available (current HC deposit fee policy is included in this PDF). Note: As of November 15, 2021 HC Curation Agreements are issued with a $50 Administrative Processing Fee. Failure to pay this fee will result in revocation of the agreement and may lead to a revocation of a permit or delay in future processing. Our standard Curation Agreements are valid for a period of two years. Please email the completed form back to the State Curation Coordinator:


Further Archaeology and Paleontology Permit information on this site.