Founded in 1893 by the Arizona Territorial Legislature on the University of Arizona campus in Tucson, the Arizona State Museum grew from a repository for archaeological resources into a major museum, research center, and educational institution devoted to the peoples and cultures of the Southwest and northern Mexico. Its collections include archaeological and ethnological materials, a vast photographic archive, and the world’s largest collection of Southwest Indian pottery. It also administers Arizona antiquities and archaeological laws, maintains site records, supports ethnohistorical research, and works with tribal communities on consultation and repatriation. Since August 2024, public access has been suspended because of serious building system failures.