Archaeology, History and Museums

California State Parks

The study of California's ancient past has recently taken a large step forward with the publication of California Prehistory: Colonization, Culture and Complexity. This volume is the most recent synthesis of the last two decades of archaeological research; a period which has seen great advances in our understanding of the life ways and diversity of California's cultures prior to contact with the first Europeans. Read More

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Cultural Resource Management in California State Parks California State Parks is the steward of many of California's most significant cultural treasures. Whether preserving historic structures, archival documents, shipwrecks, gold rush towns, ancient villages or museum collections, the job of managing heritage resources can be described in three steps.

Cultural California California's wealth lies in the diversity of its land and people. Our cultural heritage is derived from at least 300 indigenous tribal groups and explorers and immigrants from many continents, including '49ers seeking gold and settlers seeking a new life. There were many reasons why people chose to come to this part of the world, but all brought their skills and dreams.

Archaeological Resources California's long human occupation of over 12,000 years has created tens of thousands of archaeological sites, representing villages, hunting, gathering and fishing areas, religious and ceremonial locations, trails and rock art sites. The cultural complexity of ancient California is unmatched in North America. Historical Archaeology  Rock Art         Underwater Archaeology

Cultural Landscapes Cultural landscapes portray how humans have used and adapted natural resources over time, whether through agricultural, mining, ranching and settlement activities, or traditional Native American cultural practices.

The Built Environment The built environment includes an array of historic buildings, structures, and objects all, serving as physical connections to the past, reflecting the history and impact of California's diverse cultures.

Museum Collections California State Parks is responsible for the management of over one million museum objects, two million archaeological specimens, and more than three million archival documents throughout the state in more than 140 different parks.