Grand Canyon National Park celebrates Archeology Day at Tusayan Ruin and Museum

Grand Canyon, AZ - The Tusayan Ruin and Museum at Grand Canyon National Park is celebrating Arizona Archeology Month by hosting its annual Archeology Day from 10:00 am through 4:00 pm, Saturday, March 6, 2004.

Archeology provides us an opportunity to learn about our shared cultural experiences through exploration of the past. Join park staff and guest speakers for cultural demonstrations, archeological programs and tours of an 800-year old ancestral Puebloan home. Dress warmly as some of the activities will be held outside.

Schedule of Events:

10:00 am and 12:30 pm - Learn how to make replicas of figurines originally made by those who lived in the Grand Canyon 4000 years ago. Join Dennis Reason, Interpretive Trainer for Xanterra Parks and Resorts for this hands-on activity. Program will last 30-40 minutes. Suitable for kids of all ages, materials will be provided. Dennis will also provide informal programs throughout the day until 1:30 pm.

11:00 am and 1:30 pm - Consider the people who called Grand Canyon home 800 years ago. How did they survive in this environment? Take a tour with park staff around an ancestral Puebloan home. The tour route follows a 0.1 mile (0.2 km) paved trail. Program will last 45-60 minutes.

12:00 noon and 2:30 pm - The National Park Service cares for special places saved by the American people so that all may experience our heritage. Play a role in preserving our local treasure by participating in an archeological program presented by Ellen Brennan, Vanishing Treasures Archaeologist, Grand Canyon National Park. You may get a little dirty if you choose to participate in the hands-on portion of the program, so please dress for the occasion. Program will last approximately 60 minutes.

Other cultural demonstration programs will be presented throughout the day, as staffing permits.

Tusayan Ruin and Museum is located 23 miles east of Grand Canyon Village and three miles west of Desert View and is open daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm as staffing permits. Admission for programs is free. Please contact Ilyse Goldman or Dean Butterworth at 928-638-7968 for more information.