How to Get Involved
We encourage the interested public and communities to participate on many of our archaeology projects and we work with many organizations to develop public archaeology programs. If you or your organization is interested in experiencing archaeology, we encourage you to participate in one of our ongoing public programs or affiliated events. Please check out our News page or contact us to see if we are currently working near your community or if you would like us to help you develop a public program.
Ongoing Public Programs
Riverside, The Farnsley-Moremen Landing
The Kentucky Archaeological Survey conducts ongoing public archaeology programs throughout the year at Riverside, The Farnsley-Moremen Landing in Louisville. Riverside hosts an annual Archaeology Day event in October featuring a dig, artifact cleaning, presentations, and Native American and historic farm crafts and technology demonstrations. During our Winter Lab Program, the public is invited to work with archaeologists two days a week washing and cataloging artifacts recovered during the digs and take a special archaeology-based tour of the historic house and grounds. Several other events at Riverside also feature archaeology activities and tours, including the Family Farm and Forage Festival in June, the Ice Cream Social in July, and the Metro Louisville Cultural Pass Program from June to August. Riverside also offers teachers the opportunity to bring their classes to the award-winning Building Blocks of History school field trip program, which features an archaeology dig activity, brick making activity, and a historic house tour. To learn more about these programs and events at Riverside, visit Riverside’s website.
The Kentucky Archaeological Survey cosponsors “Living Archaeology Weekend” with the Kentucky Organization of Professional Archaeologists and the Daniel Boone National Forest. This free two day program offers high quality educational experiences for schools (Friday) and the public (Saturday). Demonstrations focus on American Indian and pioneer technologies and the archaeological evidence that tells us about those lifeways. Living Archaeology Weekend is held the third weekend of September at the Gladie Visitor Center in the beautiful Red River Gorge of eastern Kentucky, in the heart of a National Register of Historic Places district. If you are interested in volunteering for Living Archaeology Weekend, check out their Volunteer page.
Living Archaeology Weekend
We offer periodic opportunities to wash artifacts during our public wash nights. Work with archaeologists washing artifacts from our projects and learn more about what these objects can tell us about people in the past. We hold wash nights at our lab facility at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green. Check out our News page or contact us to see when the next wash night is being held.
Volunteering in the Field and Laboratory
We often have opportunities for students and members public of the public to get involved in our projects. In the field, students and the members of the public can assist our field teams in data collection and in documenting what is found. Archaeologists spend a lot of time mapping and taking notes during their field studies. In the laboratory not only can a person assist in the washing and cataloguing of the recovered materials, but depending on their interest, they can participate in ongoing research projects, and as they get more experience start their own project. Check out our News page or contact us to see about current volunteer opportunities.
Wash Nights at WKU