About Us

What is the Leicestershire Young Archaeologists’ Club?

The Leicestershire Young Archaeologists’ Club is part of the national Young Archaeologists’ Club (YAC), the only UK-wide club for 8-16 year olds wanting to get their hands mucky doing real archaeology.

YAC is a network of over 70 local clubs throughout England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, run by over 500 dedicated volunteers and supported by the Council for British Archaeology (CBA).

Our vision is for all young people to have opportunities to be inspired and excited by archaeology and to be empowered to help shape its future.

We provide opportunities for 8-16 year olds to participate in real archaeology and discover why it matters. If you want to become a professional archaeologist in the future or just feel like taking up an amazing new hobby, YAC is the right place for you!

Our members take part in all sorts of fantastic, hands-on activities, such as excavation, working with artefacts, visiting historical sites and museums, and undertaking experimental archaeology. We explore all eras of human history, and if you have an artistic streak, we also run lots of craft-based activities based on archaeological periods and technology.

The Leicestershire YAC is run by a team of volunteers who have strong interests in archaeology and local history.

We have been running since 1996 and are an ever growing club, always welcoming new members to take part and providing opportunities for young adults to volunteer as branch assistants. Based in Leicester, we organise a wide range of activities across the surrounding county and region, from fieldwork (such as field walking and excavation) to tours of local historical sites and museums, as well as indoor activities and lab work.

Anyone aged 8-16 can join us, regardless of ability. The only requirement is that you must be crazy about archaeology and history.

If you do not live in or near Leicestershire and want to become a young archaeologist, visit YAC’s ‘Join a Club’ page to find out about clubs in your area.