GW Capitol Archaeological Institute

The Capitol Archaeological Institute aims to protect and preserve cultural heritage through advocacy programs and initiatives by utilizing the multitude of diplomatic and governmental resources in the Washington, D.C. area. In addition, the Capitol Archaeological Institute serves to offer an academic setting that provides unique opportunities for students, academics and professionals through lecture series, academic programs, and research opportunities.

Mission Statement

The GWU Capitol Archaeological Institute is specifically designed to take advantage of the university’s location in the heart of Washington, DC, a setting with a unique gathering of resources unparalleled anywhere else in the world. The mission of the Institute includes:

• Advancing archaeological research initiatives and cultural heritage development in the Middle East (including both Israel and Jordan), Greece, Italy, Egypt, China, Africa, and Mexico, in addition to elsewhere in the world, both on land and underwater;
• Advocating for policies that will help preserve world heritage and promote heritage tourism;
• Facilitating a global community of academics, politicians, diplomats, businesses, and the general public through lecture programs, field schools, museum exhibitions, visiting scholars, and other relevant initiatives; 
• Creating unique opportunities for students, faculty, and patrons through relations and programs with universities and institutions in key countries worldwide;
• Advancing the field through studies of the role of cultural and archaeological heritage in sustainable development and by practicing “green” archaeology on the Institute’s excavations;
• Providing a high-level lecture series which takes advantage of our location in Washington, DC
• Providing guided tours by the world’s leading archaeologists to domestic and international sites which link current affairs to past places and events;
• Welcoming visiting scholars from prestigious universities and institutions, both domestic and international, for periods of several days to several months, including the possibility of a semester- or year-long fellowship;
• Creating a space for exhibitions concerned with archaeology, including cutting-edge technology; and
• Serving as a clearing house for notices of archaeological lectures and events in the greater Washington DC area.