Exhibits
Legacy of Landscapes: The Art and Archaeology of Perry Mesa
Featuring the artistry of ASU alumnus photographer Pat Gorraiz, this temporary exhibit explores the landscapes of Perry Mesa and the legacies left behind by the Ancestral People who lived there over a period of several hundred years.
Archaeologists from Arizona State University and federal agencies began researching the mesa in the early 2000s, and that work continues today with retired School of Human Evolution and Social Change archaeologist David Abbott, retired National Forest Services archaeologist Scott Wood, and many others.
Hedgpeth Hills Historical Exhibit
Leaving Marks: The Rock Art and Archaeology of Deer Valley
For thousands of years, people have left their mark by pecking over 1,500 symbols into the black basalt boulders at Deer Valley. We do not know why. As visitors, we are the latest people to change the land here and express our cultural values. Our presence in this landscape connects us to the people who were here before and to the marks they left behind.
Education Displays: Southwest Ceramics, Manos and Metates, The Agave
Our education center highlights information on the environmental and agricultural experiences of past cultural traditions and how many of these techniques are still practiced today.
Previous exhibits
Research Display: Roosevelt Platform Mound Study
The Roosevelt Platform Mound Study was conducted by archaeologists from the Arizona State University Anthropology Department’s Office of Cultural Resource Management from 1989-1997. The display includes data references, archaeological photos and a reconstructed Tonto Polychrome jar.
One World, Many Voices: The Artistry of Canyon Records
November 2017 – June 2018
Photographer Robert Doyle captures the essence of North American indigenous people through his mastery of portrait photography. The history of Canyon Records, one of the oldest independent record labels in the music industry, comes alive through the depiction of the artists and their incredible talent to connect us to their cultural heritage through music.
Fragments: Piecing Together Southwest Archaeology
March 2016 – June 2016
This exhibit focuses on how archaeologists use sherds in their research to reconstruct the past and present possible cultural and social experiences of the people who created them.
Museums usually show complete artifacts, and visitors rarely see the thousands of broken pieces kept in storage. These small fragments help piece together larger stories about human lives and societies that existed hundreds of years ago.
The exhibit consists of multiple sections, called modules, presenting one question or analytical technique and the research conducted by ASU faculty. The main panel text presents a general discussion of how sherds are used and a sub panel correlates current academic research to the questions and experiences of the people who used them.
The artifacts displayed are from the Center for Archaeology and Society Repository, curated and managed by Arleyn Simon.
Pieces of the Puzzle: New Perspectives on the Hohokam
September 2015 – May 2016
“Pieces of the Puzzle: New Perspectives on the Hohokam” exhibit provided an overview of the Hohokam world and pondered why more than 40,000 people lived in the Hohokam region around A.D. 1300, yet fewer than 10,000 were present only 200 years later.
Deer Valley Petroglyph Preserve – 20 Year Anniversary
February 2015 – December 2015
The 20 year anniversary exhibit “Connecting Past and Present” chronicled the creation of the preserve, formerly the Deer Valley Rock Art Center, in 1994 and subsequent development. A component of the exhibit included a compilation of videos from documentaries, news coverage, and the facility’s own recording of events.