The problem isn’t the present tense. The problem is once those artefacts are destroyed then they’re destroyed forever.

They might find some important writing that can shed light on history.

Those people live in a museum-- Rome would be nearly empty if not for the tourist attractions, as it was for so many centuries.

Yes. I travel around the world looking for such things.

Is it encumbering? It seems like it's not at all.

Is it really worth? YMMV, but yes if you ask me.