Grand Valley houses archaeological collections with associated documentation including field notes, maps, staff journals, photos and correspondence related to 220 archaeological sites ranging from the earliest human occupation of the area some 11,000 years ago through the 20th century. The core of the collection come from west Michigan, and were generated by over 50 years of research through faculty-led student field schools, cultural resources management projects and donations by avocational archaeologists and land owners.

The significance of the collections has a wide scope - promoting scholarship related to regional culture history and research questions, serving students and faculty at the University and members of the public including K-12 schools, and the avocational community.