Volunteer Opportunities

General Information

Volunteers are welcome to assist with excavation! We will be digging behind the Museum of Elfreth's Alley & Gift shop located at 124 and 126 Elfreth’s Alley. Check out the Elferth's Alley website for more information about the historic alley. No archaeology experience is necessary, just a passion for history and learning!

Since space is tight behind the museum, the number of volunteers will be limited to a few people a day. In order to coordinate the number of volunteers per day, we ask you schedule the days you would like to volunteer ahead of time. To volunteer, please complete the following steps:

1) Email Deirdre at dkelleher@temple.edu and provide your contact information. Your name will be put on the volunteer email list. This is important in case of rain cancellations or delays. In your email please indicate what experience you have in archaeology. No experience is necessary; it is just helpful for planning purposes.

2) Sign up to volunteer for particular days and times on the Online Sign Up Sheet.  To sign up, you will need a valid email address. Read the directions for the sign up sheet carefully.

If you have any issues or problems using the sign up sheet, contact dkelleher@temple.edu.


Day & Times

The calendar section of the blog will have an updated schedule of the days and times for excavation. To view June and July dig days, click to those months. The excavation is slated to begin on June 11th and run through at least the mid-July. In general, we will start work at 9am, break for lunch at 12pm, and finish for the day around 3:30 pm.

*Note that the days and times of excavation vary from week to week so check back often for the most updated information*

Rain Cancellation

In the case of inclement weather, updates will be posted on the Weather Cancellation section of the blog. Volunteers who signed up to come out for the day will also be contacted through email to let them know if excavation will be cancelled or delayed for the day. If digging is cancelled for the whole day, all volunteers for that day will receive an email by 8:15a to notify them of the cancellation. If you are not contacted by 8:15a, then excavation will proceed as scheduled. If digging is temporarily delayed in the morning, volunteers will still be notified by 8:15a and a decision about whether to excavate in the afternoon will be made by 12:15p. A follow-up email about the delay will be sent at that time. If you have any questions, you can always email Deirdre at dkelleher@temple.edu

What to Bring

Water - The summer in Philly is usually pretty hot; be sure to bring a water bottle and plenty of fluids. 

Work gloves & trowel - We have some work gloves for screening, but bring your own if you have them. The go-to tool is archaeology a masonry trowel.  (Marshalltown is the favorite brand among archaeologists.)  We also have a few extra trowels, but if you happen to have a masonry trowel, bring it along!

 Sunscreen - There are a few small trees in the back and we have a small shade canopy, but there probably won’t be much in the way of shade so bring sunscreen (especially if you are prone to sunburn like some of us).
Lunch - If you are coming out for a full day, we will break for lunch around 12pm. There are a number of nice delis and cafes in the area where you can purchase lunch. You can also bring your own lunch.

Parking

If you’re planning on driving, non-metered parking is difficult to come by in Old City. There are a few street north of the Alley that are non-metered, but they are a bit of a walk. A parking garage may be the best bet (especially on weekdays). Below is a list of a few of the nearby lots. Public transportation is also very easily accessible from the alley. Check out the Elfreth’s Alley website for a list of trains and buses that stop nearby and for driving directions.