The New World Archaeological Foundation was established in 1952 by Tom Ferguson. With the support of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the foundation archaeologically explored various sites in southern Mexico through survey and excavation. By 1961, the NWAF had established a research center in Chiapas, Mexico, and its new sponsoring institution in the U.S. became Brigham Young University (BYU). For over 70 years, archaeologists and employees of the NWAF conducted some of the most exhaustive research in southern and eastern Mexico as well as in Guatemala, much of which revealed evidence of some of the earliest cities and civilizations in the region.

NWAF's research center was located in various places, but in the late 1980s, it was established in San Cristobal, Chiapas, Mexico. Researchers from all over the world, including local archaeology students, walked through the research center's doors where they had access to a large library of regional literature, the largest ceramic collection in this part of Mexico, and all notes and artifacts associated with past excavations. The NWAF served as a hub for Mesoamerican researchers, and its legacy is preserved in its massive collection of monographs that report on their extensive findings. These monographs, the Papers of the New World Archaeological Foundation, are still being written, and are archived on this website: Publications. More recent publications can be purchased through the University of Utah Press, and older, out-of-print monographs can be downloaded for free.

In 2025, the doors of the research center in Chiapas closed. All artifacts from past research were delivered to the Museo Regional de Chiapas, managed by Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH). The ceramic collection, 4000-book library, and all field equipment were donated to the School of Anthropology at the University of Sciences and Arts of Chiapas (UNICACH) in Chiapa de Corzo, Chiapas. In addition, all notes, photographs, maps, and other items associated with past research are now stored at BYU at the Museum of Peoples and Cultures in Provo, Utah. Researchers are welcome to access these archives and collections by contacting these respective institutions.