The collections document the diversity and history of American Indian peoples for at least ten thousand years. General Collections and Research Information Check out volunteer opportunities with the Collections and Research Division. A Collections and Use Agreement must be completed in advance and approved by the department before access is provided. The DMNS continues its long tradition of Paleo-Indian research by exploring coastal caves in southeast Alaska, directed by E. James Dixon. This research is primarily funded by the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Forest Service and is designed to test the hypothesis that humans may have first entered the Americas from Asia along the west coast of North America.
Archaeological discoveries are among the most important made in North America in recent years.
Research results indicate that humans used watercraft and were fully adapted to marine environments at the end of the last ice age, between 11,000 and 10,000 years ago. The research program reinforces cooperation between local Native American tribes, federal agencies, and scientists, and provides educational opportunities for both non-native and Native American students. Curators Each curator pursues his or her own particular research. E. James Dixon specializes in studying the most ancient human cultures, known as Paleo-Indians, in North America. While much of his research centers on the Pacific Islands and coast of Alaska, he also researches sites in Colorado and other parts of western North America.