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year, more than 1.5 million visitors come to the National Archives Rotunda to see our
country’s founding Charters of Freedom: the Declaration of Independence, the
Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. While waiting in line to experience the Charters,
visitors enjoy studying two large murals, The Declaration of Independence and The
Constitution, which adorn the Rotunda walls and illuminate the historic moments when
each of these documents that define our democracy were signed.
Since 1952, the Charters of Freedom have been on continuous
display at the National Archives, where they have been cherished and handled with the
greatest care. Sealed in glass encasements, each night the Charters are lowered into a
steel and reinforced concrete vault. Before opening the Rotunda each morning, the
documents are mechanically raised into the marble display cases. However, after careful
evaluation, it has been determined that the existing encasements are deteriorating. The
inspirational murals that stand above the Charters have also suffered significant
deterioration during the 60 years they have been on display.
In his 1998 State of the Union Address, President Clinton made the preservation of
these enduring symbols of our democracy a national millennium priority. With help from a
$1 million grant from AT&T, the National Archives is working with the best
conservators, scientists, and engineers to protect the Charters, preserve the Murals, and
enhance the display area so that they can be enjoyed by future generations. These efforts
are also supported by a grant from The Pew Charitable Trusts and funds appropriated by the
United States Congress. The National Archives Rotunda is scheduled to close temporarily
for renovation and re-encasement of the Charters on July 5, 2001. The project is expected
to be completed in 2003.
Learn more about the history of these treasures, and the remarkable story of their
preservation, in the following articles and related resources:
Related Resources
- The
History Channel's Save Our History: The Declaration of Independence
- Educational materials created to supplement the acclaimed
History Channel program. Includes a brief history of the document, its signers, and
preservation efforts; as well as links to related resources. Also available is a free 40
page teacher's manual for grades 3-12 that includes several primary sources for
document-based learning and suggestions for interdisciplinary applications in the
classroom.
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- National
Archives Charters of Freedom Online Exhibit
- A virtual exhibit of the original Charters of Freedom on
display in the National Archives Rotunda. Includes high-resolution images of the original
documents and links to related educational resources.
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- Remarks of the President and
the First Lady in Highlighting Charters of Freedom Project, 07/01/99
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