The National Archives
The National Archives and Records Administration is home to the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom, which permanently exhibits our nation's most precious documents: the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Declaration of Independence, all in glass cases in which the air has been replaced by helium.
Surrounding these cases are documents, photos, and artifacts that tell the story of our nation's history from the colonies to the present, from the Emancipation Proclamation to the Japanese surrender in World War II. In the interactive Public Vaults exhibit, you actually feel you are going beyond the walls of the Rotunda into the stacks and vaults of the National Archives to “touch” and explore history's most fascinating original records (including Abraham Lincoln's telegrams to his generals and an audio recording from the Oval Office).
Although it was constructed relatively recently, in 1932, the building matches the Greek revival style of many other federal buildings with its colonnade facade topped by a pediment and a dome. The design was created by John Russell Pope, who also worked on the National Gallery of Art and the Jefferson Memorial.
Location and HoursThe National Archives is located off the Mall. The entrance is on Constitution Avenue, between 7th and 9th Streets. You can reach the archives from the National Archives-Navy Memorial Metro station (Yellow or Green Line). During the spring, the archives are open from 10
The building has a small snack bar, and food may be purchased at nearby attractions: the National Gallery of Art, National Museum of Natural History, National Museum of the American Indian, National Air and Space Museum, Old Post Office Pavilion, and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden.
