Volunteers Needed

Become a Digital Volunteer. Help make historical documents and biodiversity data more accessible.

The Smithsonian Transcription Center wants your help making its collections more accessible. Librarians, archivists, and museum staff work hand-in-hand with digital volunteers to transcribe historic documents and collection records.  The kinds of items you work with are endless. Transcribe field notes, diaries, ledgers, logbooks, and manuscripts.  Also transcribe currency proof sheets, photo albums, and biodiversity specimens labels.  Join the 16,031 “volunpeers” who have already transcribed 522,549 pages.

Smithsonian Transcription Center

The Center was started in 2013. It is a website which connects volunteers across the world with the Smithsonian collections. One goal is to digitally enable and increase public use of Smithsonian materials.  Play a part in making those collections more accessible.  With your help, the Smithsonian can make its vast collections in art, history, and science more accessible to anyone! The goal, “One Smithsonian, Digital First.”

The Center is managed by staff members in the Smithsonian’s Office of the Chief Information Officer. It is the result of ongoing collaborations between digital “volunpeers” and Smithsonian librarians, archivists, and museum staff. Each member contributes subject matter expertise, technical solutions, ideas & feedback, content and design, and much much more.  Begin your exploration today!