Spotlight: Washington DC - The National Archives Building

Spotlight: Do you remember the movie National Treasure? When Ben Gates declared that he was going to steal the Declaration of Independence, it was right after visiting the Rotunda in the National Archives Building to see the Declaration of Independence that is displayed there. The National Archives Building was also the building that Riley declared would be impossible to break into while trying to dissuade Ben from his objective. In any case, the National Archives Building is located in Washington DC, just north of the National Mall. It houses the official original copy of Declaration of Independence - the one that was engrossed on parchment. The other "original" copies of the Declaration of Independence were printed on paper to be read aloud throughout the colonies. There are 26 known copies in existence - such as the one exhibited in Liberty Hall in Philadelphia. In order to see the official one though, you'll have to visit the National Archives Building on Pennsylvania Ave, where it has been housed since 1952.

Location: The National Archives Building is located at 700 Pennsylvania Ave. The Rotunda entrance though is on Constitution Ave.

Cost: free

Time: Rotunda and Exhibit Hall hours are 10:00 am - 5:30 pm (except Christmas and Thanksgiving). Allow about 60-90 minutes to wait in line and peruse the exhibits.
The Research Center is open Monday-Saturday from 9 am - 5 pm. except federal holidays.

Description: In addition to the Declaration of Independence, the Rotunda also houses several other important documents. They include: the official original copy of the Constitution of the United States of America, the official original copy of the Bill of Rights, and an original copy of the Magna Carta (1297 AD). These documents were placed in hermetically sealed encasements filled with inert helium gas to better preserve them. The building also houses other important documents including the Louisiana Purchase Treaty, the Emancipation Proclamation, and collections of photography and other historical and culturally significant artifacts.
     Before the National Archives Building was approved by Congress, there were no set guidelines for preserving historical documents. For 150 years, many important documents were destroyed due to accident, neglect, or oversight. In 1926, Congress approved the construction of the National Archives Building as part of a project aimed at beautifying central Washington DC, and providing office space for a growing federal bureaucracy. John Russell Pope designed the building with a neoclassical temple style befitting such an important building within the Federal Triangle. By the late 1960's, the building began reaching its storage capacity limit and a second National Archives building was designed and built in College Park, Maryland.

Rating: 3 1/2 stars (out of 5)

Things You Should Know: - Although the Rotunda is open until 5:30, no one is admitted after 5:00!
- The three principle documents in the Rotunda (the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights) are collectively referred to as the Charters of Freedom.
- There is a long line to get into the Rotunda. However, once inside, there are no lines. You are free to wander from one exhibit to the next and examine the exhibited documents and paintings at your leisure.
- Although the Constitution is still quite legible, the Declaration of Independence is severely faded, particularly the signatures.
- In order to help preserve the original documents housed there, photography is not permitted in the National Archives Museum. Photography with original light is permitted in research rooms.
- Interestingly, the Bill of Rights contains 12 amendments instead of ten. Evidently, two of the amendments were never ratified.
- The Cafe in the National Archives Building is open from 8:00 am - 2:30 pm.
- For information on parking or transportation to the National Archives Building, go to The National Archives website.

Nearby: Smithsonian museums, International Spy Museum, White House Visitor Center, U.S. Capitol Building