Old Pueblo Archeology Center

What Old Pueblo Archeology Center does

Old Pueblo Archaeology Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1994 and headquartered at the Tucson Unified School District's Ajo Service Center in Tucson, Arizona, that delivers public archaeology and cultural heritage education to children and adults in the American Southwest. The organization operates a portfolio of programs including the OPEN3 simulated archaeological excavation site (in continuous operation since 1997) for K-12 classrooms, multi-session online adult courses on the Hohokam, Mogollon, and broader Southwest archaeology, a free monthly Third Thursday Food for Thought Zoom lecture series, hands-on flintknapping and pottery workshops, guided archaeological site tours, and a public-assisted volunteer excavation research program. Programs are taught by Registered Professional Archaeologists, including Executive Director Allen Dart, and meet Arizona school curriculum standards in social studies, science, and math.

The underlying 'technology' is fundamentally experiential and physical: a full-scale replica Hohokam site for the OPEN3 program, real archaeological site tours, and instructor-led Zoom sessions for remote participants. The organization publishes a quarterly bulletin and maintains a website, Facebook page, RSS feed, and email newsletter as its digital surface area. There is no proprietary software platform, app, or AI component; distribution is via direct in-person engagement, school partnerships, and self-serve Zoom.

The business model is donation-based nonprofit economics. Tuition-style fees are structured as 'requested donations' (e.g., $109 per 14-session adult class, $45-$55 per workshop, $20 per tour, with member discounts), supplemented by membership dues, individual donations via PayPal, raffle proceeds (Jim Click Millions for Tucson), and small grants from funders such as Arizona Humanities, Santa Cruz Valley Heritage Alliance, Vista del Rio Residents' Association, and Cox Charities. Customer segments span K-12 schools (with scholarships for underserved students), adult learners and archaeology enthusiasts, Arizona Archaeological Society certification seekers, and cultural-heritage tourists in southern Arizona.

Name

Old Pueblo Archeology Center

Legal name

Old Pueblo Archaeology Center

Website

https://oldpueblo.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Old Pueblo Archaeology Center is a Tucson-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers hands-on archaeology and cultural-heritage education to K-12 students, adult learners, and southwestern tourism audiences through simulated excavation programs, expert-led classes, site tours, and volunteer field research.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Education

NAICS

Historical Sites (71212), Historical Sites (712120)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAHAI

Indigenous, Ethnic & Folk Arts/Heritage Organizations

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Arts, Culture & Heritage Nonprofits

SECONDARYTHAJADAG

Archaeological Sites & Heritage Interpretation Centers

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Museums, Galleries & Cultural Institutions

SECONDARYTHAJAKAH

Traditional & Indigenous Crafts Lessons (Heritage Skills, Folk Arts)

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Workshops & Classes (Arts, Crafts, Skills & Local Lessons)

SECONDARYTHAJADAI

Cultural Heritage Institutions (Archives, Historic Houses, Monuments Foundations)

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Museums, Galleries & Cultural Institutions

Keywords

• Archaeology education programs
• Cultural heritage education
• Simulated excavation training
• Southwestern archaeology tours
• Public archaeology outreach

Headquarters

HQ city

Tucson

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Donations: 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that relies on membership fees and donations from supporters to fund educational programs.
2. Class and Workshop Fees: Adult education classes and workshops offered for requested donations, typically $109 per person for 14-session courses and $45 for workshops, with discounts for members.
3. Classroom Program Fees: Schools pay fees for OPEN3 simulated archaeological excavation field trips and classroom outreach programs, with scholarships available for underserved students.
4. Grants and Fundraising: Grants from organizations like Arizona Humanities, Santa Cruz Valley Heritage Alliance, Vista del Rio Residents' Association, and Cox Charities. Also participates in raffle events like Jim Click Millions for Tucson.
5. Tour Donations: Educational tours to archaeological sites offered for requested donations, typically $20 per person.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Old Pueblo Archaeology Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization that delivers archaeology and cultural heritage education to children and adults in southern Arizona. Its offerings include the OPEN3 simulated Hohokam excavation program for school classrooms, adult online courses on Southwest archaeology (Mogollon, Hohokam, general Southwest), hands-on workshops (flintknapping, pottery), monthly Third Thursday Food for Thought presentations, guided archaeological site tours, and a public-assisted volunteer excavation research program.

Product overview

Old Pueblo Archaeology Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of archaeology education programs and services for children and adults. The core offerings include the OPEN3 simulated excavation program for school classrooms, classroom outreach presentations, multi-session adult education courses on Southwest archaeology (Mogollon, Hohokam, and general Southwest cultures), the Third Thursday Food for Thought monthly presentation series, hands-on workshops (arrowhead making/flintknapping), guided archaeological site tours, and a public volunteer excavation research program. The organization also publishes a quarterly bulletin featuring articles on southwestern archaeology. All programs are designed to educate the public about archaeology, Indigenous cultures, and the preservation of cultural resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• OPEN3 Simulated Excavation A re-created Hohokam archaeological site where schoolchildren learn about archaeology, Indigenous cultures, and the scientific method by excavating a simulated dig site. Designed to meet Arizona school curriculum standards in social studies, science, and math.
• Classroom Outreach Programs Educational outreach programs including 'Ancient People of Arizona,' 'What is an Archaeologist?' and 'Lifestyle of the Hohokam' that bring archaeology education directly to classrooms.
• Arrowhead Making and Flintknapping Workshop Hands-on 3-hour workshop teaching participants how to make arrowheads, spear points, and other flaked stone artifacts using techniques from pre-European Contact Native American traditions, led by expert flintknapper Sam Greenleaf. Limited to 6 registrants at $45 per person.
• Third Thursday Food for Thought Program Monthly online presentation series featuring expert speakers on archaeology, history, and cultural topics related to the American Southwest. Free Zoom webinars held on third Thursdays.
• Adult Education Online Classes Multi-session Zoom-based courses including 'Archaeology of the Southwest,' 'The Mogollon Culture of the US Southwest,' 'The Hohokam Culture of Southern Arizona,' and 'Overview of Hohokam Pottery Wares and Types,' taught by Registered Professional Archaeologist Allen Dart. 14-session classes priced at $109 per person.
• Archaeological Tours Educational tours to significant archaeological, historical, and cultural sites including Picture Rocks petroglyphs, Los Morteros, Sabino Canyon Ruin, Yuma Wash Hohokam Village, and Bojórquez-Aguirre Ranch, led by professional archaeologists. Tours offered for requested donations, typically $20 per person.
• Public-Assisted Volunteer Excavation Program Research program allowing members of the public to join professional archaeologists for excavation and learn about archaeological techniques, preservation, and current research.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 25 years of heritage education provided to Tucson schools, residents, and visitors since founding
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Jim Click Automotive TeamminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2018Old Pueblo participates in the Jim Click Millions for Tucson Raffle, with 100% of ticket sale proceeds supporting Old Pueblo's education programs for children. Grand prizes have included vehicles valued at approximately $49,940.
• Arizona Archaeological SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOld Pueblo classes meet requirements for the Arizona Archaeological Society's Training, Certification and Education program. Joint membership-benefit programs exist between organizations.
• Arizona Site StewardscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArizona Site Stewards members receive discounts on Old Pueblo programs. Site Stewards is a volunteer program that protects and preserves cultural resources across Arizona.
• S'edav Va'aki Museum FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerS'edav Va'aki Museum Foundation (formerly Pueblo Grande Museum Auxiliary) members receive discounts on Old Pueblo programs. Joint membership-benefit programs exist.
• Tohono O'odham NationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Tohono O'odham Nation previously provided an Indian Gaming grant that helped establish the partnership with Vista del Rio Residents' Association for archaeological site conservation and education.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Arizona Archaeological Society: Statewide volunteer society offering certification and training in Southwest archaeology; a partner and adjacent education provider whose courses Old Pueblo's classes fulfill.
• Desert Archaeology, Inc. Tucson-based cultural resource management firm working in Southwest archaeology; adjacent professional-services player in the same regional archaeology ecosystem rather than a public-education peer.
• Pecos National Historical Park: Federally operated archaeological/historical site offering heritage interpretation and tours; comparable visitor-facing archaeology education but government-run and site-specific.
• Archaeological Conservancy: National nonprofit acquiring and preserving archaeological sites and educating the public; thematically related heritage-preservation mission but focused on land conservation rather than programs.

Direct peers

• Verde Valley Archaeology Center: Arizona nonprofit museum and education center offering tours, lectures, and archaeology programs, closely mirroring Old Pueblo's community heritage-education model.
• Crow Canyon Archaeological Center: Colorado nonprofit offering public and school archaeology education, excavation programs, and cultural heritage learning about Southwest Indigenous peoples—directly analogous to Old Pueblo's hands-on programs.
• Archaeology Southwest: Tucson-based nonprofit focused on preservation and public education about Southwest archaeology, operating in the same region and mission space as Old Pueblo.
• Center for American Archeology: Nonprofit providing public archaeology education, field schools, and school programs—comparable delivery model to Old Pueblo's OPEN3 and volunteer excavation offerings, in a different region.

Broad incumbents

• Arizona State Museum: University of Arizona institution in Tucson conducting Southwest archaeology exhibits, research, and public education—broader and larger, but overlaps directly on regional heritage education.

Regional players

• Amerind Foundation: Arizona nonprofit museum and research center on Native American archaeology and cultures; overlapping heritage-education mission but museum-anchored and located in Dragoon, AZ.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/oldpuebloarch
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/old-pueblo-archaeology-ctr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Old Pueblo Archeology Center