Dig on an archaeological excavation
A friend has invited you to do this with them.
Excavation is slow work with a trowel, and the reward is being the first person to see an object or a floor surface since it was buried. Volunteers dig alongside professional archaeologists on projects listed by the Council for British Archaeology and through the US Forest Service's Passport in Time programme.
ModerateUnder £100 / $130A few weeksOutdoorsWith othersUK and USMostly summer
How to start
- Filter the Council for British Archaeology's Volunteer Hub by Fieldwork and by region in the UK, or read the Forest Service's Passport in Time page in the US.
- Contact the organiser named on a UK listing, or create an account at volunteer.gov to search for Passport in Time projects.
- Ask what tools, clothing and level of fitness the project expects, and what training is given on site.
Where to go
- Council for British Archaeology, Volunteer Hub (UK listings run by third-party organisers) UK
- USDA Forest Service heritage programme, including Passport in Time volunteering US
We opened these links on 7 October 2026 and found them to be what we say. Dates, places and prices are on the official page, where they stay up to date.
Plan this
Pick a day, or a month, and we will set out how to get ready, step by step, with a date and a reason for each. The hard part of a day out is the timing: the right season, tickets and getting there. The plan watches the calendar for you.
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