BOSTON —  The actor who helped glamorize archaeology on the big screen is lending his star power to the Archaeological Institute of America.

Harrison Ford, who portrays the adventure-seeking Indiana Jones, has been elected to the Boston-based organization's board of directors. The group promotes archaeological excavation, research, education and preservation worldwide.

AIA President Brian Rose says Ford's Indiana Jones character has played a major part in stimulating interest in archaeological exploration.

The latest installment in the series, "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of Crystal Skull," opens in U.S. theaters May 22.