The Museu Arqueológico de Sambaqui de Joinville was established in 1969, while its building was inaugurated in 1972. The building was designed by Sabino Barroso, whereas the museological plan was developed under the responsibility of the Instituto do Patrimônio Histórico e Artístico Nacional (IPHAN), through Alfredo Theodoro Rusins.
The museum is dedicated to anthropology and archaeology, housing a collection related to the earliest populations that spread throughout South America, migrating and occupying various regions of what is now Brazilian territory.