Mission

​Archaeology in the Community promotes and facilitates the study and public understanding of archaeological heritage. Through informal educational programs, we provide hands-on learning, professional development, and community events.

​Objectives

• To increase community awareness of the benefits of archaeology and history through public events.
• To provide archaeology enrichment programs to students of all ages.
• To provide professional development to college students interested in pursuing careers in archaeology.
• To partner with educational institutions, cultural establishments, and community organizations to develop, promote, and implement archaeological programs.​

History

​In 2006, Dr. Alexandra Jones noticed that many of the young students in her Washington, D.C. neighborhood had never heard of archaeology, let alone met an archaeologist. As a trained archaeologist and educator, Dr. Jones was inspired to engage young people within her community and teach them the importance of archaeology. Students in her community had the unique opportunity to learn about their families’ histories and their community’s past from an archaeologist who lived around the block and who serves as an active member of their community.

​In tandem with writing her PhD thesis at UC Berkeley, Dr. Jones created and implemented several customizable programs to teach archaeology in alignment with school curricula. Upon graduation, Dr. Jones continued to develop programs and partnerships, bringing them back to her hometown of Washington, D.C. The program gained momentum across DC, Maryland and Virginia and in 2009, Archaeology in the Community became a chartered 501(c)3 nonprofit.

Since its founding, AITC has served thousands of students of all ages, customizing curricula to best suit the needs of the group and expanding into new media to ensure the public can engage with archaeology.