Malcolm Rivera
The original copy of the US Constitution is kept in the National Archives Building in Washington, DC. The document is stored alongside the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights in the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom. The Charters of Freedom are considered instrumental to the founding and philosophy of the United States. The Rotunda was designed by architect John Russell Pope as a shrine to American democracy.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | National Archives Building, Washington, DC |
| Room | The Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom |
| Address | 700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC |
| Display | Displayed to the public |
| Display Conditions | Hermetically sealed between glass plates with inert argon gas |
| Previous Locations | United States Bullion Depository, Fort Knox, Kentucky |
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What You'll Learn
- The US Constitution's home: National Archives Building, Washington, DC
- The Charters of Freedom: the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, and Bill of Rights
- The Constitution's journey: from Fort Knox to the National Archives
- The preservation process: from inert helium to argon gas
- The public display: millions of visitors each year
The US Constitution's home: National Archives Building, Washington, DC
The National Archives Building in Washington, DC, is home to the US Constitution. Located on Constitution Avenue NW, between 7th and 9th Streets, just north of the National Mall, the building is an impressive repository of American history.
The National Archives & Records Administration Building preserves, protects, and shares the historical federal records of the United States. It is a treasure trove of billions of records, including the three most important documents in American history: the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. These foundational documents are housed in the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom, a semicircular room that highlights the creation and enduring significance of each charter.
The U.S. Constitution, along with the other Charters of Freedom, can be viewed by the public in the Rotunda. The National Archives Building is open every day of the year, except Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, with hours from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily. Admission is free, and the site is easily accessible via the Metrorail, with the closest Metro stop being Archives – Navy Memorial – Penn Quarter on the Green and Yellow lines.
Beyond the Charters of Freedom, the National Archives Museum offers a wealth of historical documents and exhibits. The David M. Rubenstein Gallery, for example, features Records of Rights, showcasing various Archives documents and an interactive 17-foot touchscreen that summarises American debates on issues such as citizenship, voting rights, and free speech. The gallery also boasts one of four surviving originals of the 1297 Magna Carta.
The National Archives in Washington, DC, thus serves as a guardian of America's founding principles, providing a space for the public to explore and engage with the nation's history through its vast collection of records and exhibits.
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The Charters of Freedom: the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, and Bill of Rights
The Charters of Freedom refer to three documents in early US history: the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. These documents are considered fundamental to the country's founding and philosophy. The Charters of Freedom are housed in the Rotunda of the National Archives Building in Washington, D.C. The Rotunda is a specially designed room that preserves and displays the Charters in bronze-framed, bulletproof, bombproof, and moisture-controlled sealed display cases during the day. At night, they are stored in multi-ton bomb-proof vaults. The Charters are flanked by two grand murals by Barry Faulkner, one depicting Thomas Jefferson with the Continental Congress, and the other showing James Madison at the Constitutional Convention.
The Declaration of Independence outlines the values on which the United States was founded and explains the reasons for its separation from Great Britain. The Constitution establishes the framework of the federal government of the United States, with its first three articles embodying the doctrine of the separation of powers into the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. The Bill of Rights comprises the first ten amendments to the Constitution, outlining the rights of citizens and states in relation to the government.
The Charters of Freedom have been on display in the Rotunda since 1952, along with a dual display of the "Formation of the Union," which includes documents such as the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union (1778) and Washington's First Inaugural Address (1789). The documents are preserved and displayed using advanced technology, ensuring their stability for future generations.
The term "Charters of Freedom" encapsulates the rights secured by these documents, including the natural rights of "Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness," as stated in the Declaration of Independence. The Charters have guided the nation through periods of growth and turmoil, with American patriots defending the principles they embody.
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The Constitution's journey: from Fort Knox to the National Archives
The US Constitution, along with the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights, are collectively referred to as the Charters of Freedom. These documents were under the control of the State Department in 1789 and moved with the national government. In 1921, President Warren Harding transferred their custody to the Library of Congress, where they were exhibited for the first time in 1924.
In 1930, designers for the National Archives added an exhibition hall to their plans, intending to create a space to house the Charters of Freedom. In 1933, President Herbert Hoover announced that the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution would be exhibited at the National Archives building. However, the Librarian of Congress, Herbert Putnam, objected to the transfer, believing that few people would visit the Archives building.
In 1939, Putnam was replaced by Archibald MacLeish, who supported the transfer of the Charters of Freedom. Nevertheless, the documents remained at the Library of Congress. In December 1941, following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the Charters of Freedom were transferred to Fort Knox, Kentucky, for safekeeping. They were returned to the Library of Congress in 1944.
Finally, in 1952, the Librarian of Congress agreed to transfer the Charters of Freedom to the National Archives. On December 13, 1952, the documents were transferred from the Library of Congress to the National Archives in a formal military procession. Upon arrival, they were placed in a custom-built, bomb-and fire-proof safe. Thus, the US Constitution, along with the other Charters of Freedom, found its permanent home at the National Archives, where it remains on public display.
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The preservation process: from inert helium to argon gas
The preservation of historical documents is of paramount importance to ensure that the human record is maintained for future generations. The Declaration of Independence, for instance, is a pivotal document in American history and is preserved at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. The document was first placed in a preservation vault in the early 1950s, filled with inert gases to prevent deterioration.
Inert gases, specifically argon and helium, are crucial in creating a stable environment for the preservation of historical documents. This is achieved by reducing the amounts of oxygen and moisture, which are key contributors to the degradation of paper and ink over time. The inert gases minimise the presence of these reactive elements, thereby slowing down the ageing and decaying processes of the document.
The preservation process involves placing the document in a hermetically sealed enclosure or encasement. The encasement is designed to provide a secure and protective environment for the document. In the case of the Declaration of Independence, the encasement is made of anodized aluminium, which offers enhanced corrosion resistance. The enclosure is then filled with the inert gas argon, displacing the oxygen that would otherwise react with the materials in paper and ink.
Argon gas is particularly effective in creating a stable environment due to its inert properties. It does not react with the materials in paper and ink, preventing their degradation. Additionally, argon's density contributes to creating a controlled environment by displacing oxygen and moisture. Similarly, helium, another inert gas, helps in maintaining the stability of the environment by minimising oxygen and moisture levels.
The use of inert gases, such as argon and helium, in preservation techniques is not limited to historical documents. This method is also employed in the preservation of valuable artwork and scientific samples. The National Archives, for instance, has utilised these preservation techniques for other significant documents as well. By adopting these methods, it is possible to safeguard important artefacts and documents for future study and appreciation.
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The public display: millions of visitors each year
The original copy of the US Constitution is kept in the National Archives Building in Washington, DC, where it is on public display. The National Archives Museum welcomes millions of visitors each year, who can purchase a ticket to see the document firsthand. The Constitution is stored alongside the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights in the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom, a shrine to American democracy designed by architect John Russell Pope. The ornate Rotunda features a soaring domed ceiling and two murals.
The document has been subject to various preservation treatments over the years. In 1952, the Constitution was hermetically sealed between glass plates, with the case filled with inert helium gas to protect it from the corrosive effects of normal air. However, small white spots began to appear on the document, prompting the National Archives to turn to NASA for help. Their atmospheric experts found that the issue was not due to a gas leak but rather high humidity in the chamber.
In 2001, the document was removed from its original cases and installed in modern display cases in 2003, which fixed many of the issues with the previous encasements. The new cases feature a gap between the surface of the document and the top layer of glass, with the humidity properly controlled to between 25% and 35%. Instead of helium, argon gas is used in the new cases.
The National Archives Building is located at 700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW in Washington, DC, between the Federal Trade Commission and the US Department of Justice, just north of the National Mall.
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Frequently asked questions
The original copy of the US Constitution is kept at the National Archives Building in Washington, DC.
The building is located at 700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW in Washington, DC. It is between the Federal Trade Commission and the US Department of Justice, just north of the National Mall.
The room that displays the US Constitution, along with the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights, is called the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom.
The US Constitution was moved to the National Archives Building in 1952.
In 1952, the US Constitution was hermetically sealed between glass plates with inert helium gas to protect the document from the corrosive effects of normal air. In 2003, the Constitution was moved to more modern encasements, with argon gas and a gap between the surface of the document and the top layer of glass.
