Professional archaeologists in America seem to have reached a consensus that systematic archaeological collections are vital to current and future comparative research. Current repositories are inadequately designed and insufficiently funded. Minimally, a repository must be housed in a safe, sturdy, secure building equipped to handle curation and conservation as well as special storage functions. It must have a qualified profeiosnal staff. While initial processing of materials of materials may be accounted for in research budgests, long term curatorial maintenance charges may be best defrayed by interest income from funds invested by the repository.