City of Florence (Pope's Tavern Museum)

The Pope’s Tavern Museum will use funds to support its archaeology program, launched in 2022, to engage the public in archaeology and local history through hands-on activities and community-based projects. As the only program of its kind in North Alabama, it addresses the lack of public archaeology opportunities and promotes information literacy by offering workshops, camps, and events for all ages, free of charge. The grant will support three core initiatives: funding skilled staff for lab work, compensating facilitators for the Junior Archaeology Camp, and enhancing activities for Archaeology Day—an event that draws families to explore archaeological skills together. Altogether, the program promotes responsible stewardship, accessible education, and strengthens connections between the museum and the community.