The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is steward to a substantial museum collection which reflects the history of the BIA, Bureau of Indian Education, and Native American culture. The BIA collection of nearly eight million objects includes archeological artifacts from Indian and Federal lands, ethnographic objects, historic items, archives, and artwork. BIA maintains this collection to further its mission by preserving the history of the BIA, Indian schools, and Indian culture for present and future generations. BIA is responsible for the curation and preservation of significant archeological collections, removed from Indian trust or restricted lands under the authority of Antiquities Act permits and the associated documentation, which are housed in 156 Federal and non-Federal repositories.