Status and Outlook for the Direct Detection of Dark Matter

The basic nature of the dark matter is one of the most compelling mysteries in all of fundamental physics. While the gravitational effects of dark matter are apparent in many astrophysical datasets, most models of particle dark matter imply that it should have other non-gravitational interactions as well. We address this prediction by searching for the local interaction of the Milky Way's dark matter halo within specialized detectors here on earth. Over the last thirty years, two classes of such experiments have been carried out: microwave-cavity axion searches, and WIMP nuclear-recoil searches. Both techniques have already covered substantial ground, and the next decade will see additional gains as the instrumental sensitivity continues to improve. This talk will review the current status of these searches and discuss the future prospects for the field.