The first archeological explorations in the area of Novi Pazar were conducted in distant 1952, on the site Naprelje, 2 km to the east of Novi Pazar. Those were sondage sampling which uncovered the remains of a settlement of Vinča cultural group.

Soon after, excavations were made in 1957 on the Church of Saint Apostles Petеr and Paul, better known as Peter's Church. It was concluded that the architecture of the structure shows several phases, belonging to different periods, starting from the 6th to the 17th century. Under the foundations of Peter's Church a tumulus was found where burials were performed in the Bronze and the Iron Age; and in the 6th century BC a representative of local aristocracy was buried there and his funerary equipment, because of its riches and significance, was recorded in the scientific literature as the 'Novi Pazar find'. Archeological excavations in the churchyard of Petеr's Church continued until early nineties.

Systematic studies of the monastery compound Djurdjevi Stupovi began soon after. These researches started in 1960 and with smaller interruptions continued until mid-1980s. Archeological excavations ran parallel with conservation of the objects within the complex, primarily of the St George's Church, the legacy of Stefan Nemanja.

The year 1971 was a milestone in the archeology of the Novi Pazar area. The Secretariat of Education, Science and Culture of SR Serbia formed the Commission for the Exploration of Medieval Ras Complex. In the same year systematic archeological exploration began of the complex at the confluence of the Sebečevo River and the Raška on the sites: Gradina, Pećina, Trgovište – the settlement and Trgovište – the church with the necropolis. On all this localities researches continued until early 1990s. A little later, in 1973, archeological studies of the monastery complex Sopocani began, as well as the conservation of the church, fresco painting and the uncovered remains of monastery buildings.

When the Old Ras with the Sopoćani was entered in the List of World Cultural and Natural Heritage of the UNESCO, in 1979, a radical turnaround was made in the overall treatment and the procedure for the protection of this monument complex. Commitments undertaken under the Convention for the Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage initiated the development of the Program of Exploration, Protection, Landscape arrangement and Use of the Ancient Ras with the Sopoćani for the period 1984 to 1990. The Program embraces with all types of study: historical, art historical, ethnographic, archeological, than conservation works, restoration and presentation of individual monuments in this area, works relating to the preservation of the environment, measures in the area of legal protection, works on access roads and routes as well as other infrastructure objects, and the plans for publishing and informational and promotional activities.

A separate Self-managing Contract was concluded, signed by numerous institutions of the Republic, Kraljevo Regions, and the Municipality of Novi Pazar. Some Republic institutions and scientific workers employed by them were engaged to carry out individual works under the Program.

Under the Program for the Exploration of the Ancient Ras with the Sopoćani, some systematic reconnaissance of the area was conducted accompanied by preliminary sondage prospecting of the most prominent sites. Eighteen sites totally were sondaged: seven fortresses, as many churches and four settlements. Churches in Deževa and on Reljina Gradina were completely explored, as well as the remains of a church and a part of a necropolis in Postenje and on the site Naprelje.

The Novopazarska Spa is the only ancient period site where more extensive research was carried out. A small-sized chapel datable to the 3rd century, a church from the late 4th and early 5th centuries and a monumental basilica dated from the 6th century were found there.

From 1987, under the Program for the Exploration of the Ancient Ras with the Sopoćani, systematic archeological exploration began on the site Gradina in the village Postenje. This extraordinary site gained in importance when a hypothesis was put forward that the remains of the medieval city of Ras might be lying there. After disclosure of hypothesis this gave rise to a heated debate concerning the location of the medieval city of Ras, both in the scientific circles and in the media. These researches are still under way and this is the only work recently in progress o the territory of Novi Pazar municipality.

In addition to the Program for the Exploration of the Ancient Ras with the Sopocani, the territory covered by the Museum Ras was also studied through other projects. Prehistoric sites were explored under the project: Ethno-cultural Relations during the Bronze and the Iron Age in Middle Danube Basin and Central Balkan Region. The works covered 11 sites dating from the early Bronze to the early Iron Age.

In the eighties began the realization of the project: Archeological Reconnaissance with Sondage of Sites in the Territory of the Municipality of Tutin; to whom in 1987 the territory of the Municipality of Sjenica was added. Reconnaissance in the Municipality of Tutin was completed; sondages were conducted at 12 sites: seven fortresses, two churches and three settlements, The Monastery complex on the site Crkvine, on the outskirts of Tutin was completely explored. The only Paleolithic site in this part of Serbia, the Smolućka Cave, is on the territory of the Municipality of Tutin.

Detailed reconnaissance was also completed in the area of the Municipality of Sjenica, and sondaged fortifications: Gradina in Grac and Velika Gradina in Vrsenice, Gradina in Tuzinje, Samograd in Grgaje, and Jerina's City in Družinic. After years of moderate sized sondage explorations at Velika Gradina, some systemic study was also done for several years. The remains of fortification were uncovered here datable to the early 4th century, which was reconstructed and endured until the 6th century, and then remained in use during the 9th and 10th centuries. The remains of churches logs were also found in the villages of Vapi and Vrsenica, as well as a church on the Radišića hill, with a part of a necropolis.

Since 1997 on the territory of the Municipality of Sjenica archeological examinations of medieval mounds have been performed. On the site Kobiljka eight mounds have been researched so far, and one each on the sites Krajište and Mravin Polje.

When it is about research of Novi Pazar itself, it could be said that, like most towns in Serbia, it was not archeologically explored. Within conservation work on Altun-alem Mosque, smaller sondage researches were done, as well as on the western rampart and around the watch tower on the City Citadel. The only somewhat more serious exploration was began within the Museum building which stands above the remains of a public bath house from the Turkish period. As opposed to archeological excavations, conservation works were completed on most mosques, the old bathhouse, the Turkish inn, the metropoly building.

For archeological research in the territory covered by the Museum 'Ras' in Novi Pazar is important to accent that the results have always been presented in timely manner, primarily in the 'Novopazarski Zbornik', but also in the 'Starinar', 'Saopštenja', 'Тhe Herald of Serbian Archeological Society'', 'Sjenicki Zbornik' and other journals