Citizen Preservation Stewardship Program

Fieldwork

Want to learn what it's like to be an archaeologist? Volunteers and interns are invited to join Cultural Resources personnel on a variety of archaeology digs across Anne Arundel County. The County has over 1,700 archaeological sites, so locations vary depending upon the current research program and the seasons. Tasks may include digging, screening for artifacts, and documenting the excavations. Check out our field manual here. No Experience Needed. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

Labwork

The Anne Arundel Archaeology Laboratory, located on the campus of Historic London Town & Gardens in Edgewater, Maryland, accepts volunteers and interns to help process artifacts, including washing, labeling, sorting, and cataloging. Check out our lab manual here. No Experience Needed. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Currently, the lab is open Tuesday through Thursday, 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Volunteers must sign up here in advance for a morning or afternoon shift. 

Research

Volunteers are also needed to assist with archival research both online and at the Maryland State Archives. Before beginning excavations at an archaeology site, one must research land records, census data, wills. probate inventories, and historic maps, all of which helps formulate research questions and better understand the historic context of these resources. In addition, archaeological and historical literature must be consulted as part of the research process.

The Joan Cass Beck Collection, a special collection of the Anne Arundel Public Library System, contains hundreds of books, journals, and audio/visual materials that are housed at the Anne Arundel Archaeology Lab and at the Historical Preservation Research Library in the county's Division of Planning and Zoning. The library is open to the public for onsite research by appointment only and the books cannot be checked out. Call (410) 222-1318 for more information.

Anne Arundel County's Historic Preservation Planning is working hard to document and protect the historic cemeteries of our County along with members of the Preservation Stewardship Program. We need your help in protecting our historic cemeteries! Help us with documenting these important places by using the digital cemetery documentation (online tool) or a downloadable documentation form. 

Help us out by taking a short survey to give us your observations about cemetery conservation issues in Anne Arundel County. 
 

Historic Cemeteries

Anne Arundel County is home to hundreds of historic structures that need documentation. Volunteers are needed to assist with archival research to study the history of these properties. Land records, census data, wills and probate inventories and historic maps help us better understand the historic context of these resources. 

For information on current and upcoming opportunities and to sign up for the Preservation Stewardship Program, please email Drew Webster at pzwebs00@aacounty.org.

Anne Arundel County's team of professional archaeologists, preservationists, and historians, welcome advanced high school and college interns to join us. Under the teams’ professional guidance, students can learn the ropes and find out if a career in archaeology is right for them. Often, credit can be arranged in cooperation with your academic institution. We also welcome researchers, graduate students, and experienced undergraduates who wish to use county collections for a thesis or other project.

To learn volunteer and internship opportunities, please email Drew Webster at pzwebs00@aacounty.org for more information or to apply.