X‐ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) or (ESCA) and Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) have been combined in the same ultrahigh vacuum system to facilitate a new approach to studying clean and reacted surfaces. The design philosophy is to connect two satellite vacuum systems via a set of magnetically driven sample transfer devices. The advantages and capabilities of this approach are discussed with respect to its flexibility and its ability to couple to other surface techniques. XPS and static SIMS spectra of an oxidized polycrystalline indium film are presented to exemplify the type of information which can be gleaned from a multitechnique investigation of surfaces. The additional ability to prepare sample surfaces in our system by ion implantation is demonstrated by a positive‐ion SIMS analysis of a gold‐implanted aluminum foil.