MAS was created in 1939 to preserve, protect, study, and promote appreciation of, the remains of the long Native American period of Massachusetts history--over 11,000 years. Massachusetts is one of the few states that still does not have a state-supported, state-oriented, more or less official and authoritative, museum of archaeology. So as in many other cases, philanthropy is now filling that gap. MAS is creating the Robbins Museum of Archaeology, to house its Collection of over 80,000 artifacts. The Collection is being inventoried in detail, to provide our region's most complete reference collection of the Native American period, so that we may better understand its cultural history, and date new discoveries as they are made. The Museum staff works closely with state and local officials, as well as with the Native American community, to conserve remains; the Society has a permanent seat on the Massachusetts Historical Commission, and has successfully advocated for statutory protection of obviously irreplaceable material remains of our ancient peoples. Here is an excellent example of philanthropy's attention to precious details of life in Massachusetts; it deserves your support.