National Archives Research Center

Government office · Federal Triangle

National Archives Research Center

Government office · Federal Triangle

700 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20408

Highlights

Celebrated archive housing the original Constitution plus other significant documents & records.

700 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20408 Get directions

archives.gov

@travelleisure

"An abundance of complimentary attractions and sites, including the National Archives Building." - Travel + Leisure Editors

15 Cheap Places to Travel in August

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@atlasobscura

"The National Archives building in Washington, D.C. houses some of the United States’ most foundational texts, including the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the Declaration of Independence. These three documents are collectively known as the Charters of Freedom, and could be the most closely guarded pieces of paper on the planet. During the day these important texts are available for public viewing under bulletproof glass and constant guard. But every night (and at the press of a button, should the need arise) a special elevator pulls them underground into a custom-built armored vault. The original vault was built in 1953 by the Mosler Safe Company. The firm was the logical choice, having previously taken on notable achievements like the gold bullion vault at Fort Knox, and a bank vault in Hiroshima that survived an atomic bomb. The original, 55-ton Mosler Vault was the size of a walk-in closet and employed a 20-foot scissor jack to raise and lower the Charters of Freedom. A 1953 documentary shows the lift in operation here. The Mosler Vault was replaced in the early 2000s as the National Archive underwent a major $110 million renovation. The current vault, designed by Diebold, is still shrouded in secrecy." - ATLAS_OBSCURA

The Best-Guarded Treasures in the World

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Stacy A

SerpAPI

Worth at least one visit to celebrate US history. See the Declaration of Independence, constitution, and bill of rights. Room is dark and cold to help with preservation. No photos allowed at all. Entry was simple enough once I found it and staff was quiet but helpful.

Shine Thomas

SerpAPI

Washington DC is a land of museums. You have a lot of places to visit in DC which has a huge number of historical archives. This was one such place with a lot of artifact's to see. One would need around half a day to cover this place, that too if you do it in a hurry. The place has so many sculptures and paintings, including Ginevra de benci the only paining of Leonardo da Vinci in the United States of America.

Rodrigo Gonzalez

SerpAPI

An impressive building which was made to preserve the national documents. In the exhibition, you can see The Constitution, The Declaration of Independence, and the Bill of Rights. Congratulations to the staff and curators for such an impressive place. I recommend it.

Matthew Miller

SerpAPI

In reality, you could make a very quick trip here and only see the most important things here--The Constitution, The Declaration of Independence, and the Bill of Rights. With a bit more time, there are other exhibits to see, especially if you are interested in the archiving process and what gets stored in the National Archives. For families with younger children the Boeing Learning Center is a nice place with activities and hands-on materials. The staff there are keen to explain things and are clearly devoted to their vocations.

Nikoloz Gachechiladze

SerpAPI

Considering that the place is free, it provides an amazing experience. You can see the originals of American Bill of Rights, Declaration of Independence and Constitution all within 15 minutes, if you have planned your route. There are other interesting exhibits, but these three are highlights and definitely worth a visit.

Abigail Carroll

SerpAPI

What an amazing place. Though the entrance is a little confusing. It was surreal to actually see The Declaration of Independence, The Constitution, and The Bill of Rights with my own eyes. I wish we'd had more time to explore. Loved the gift shop

courtney edwards

SerpAPI

The worst place I’ve visited in DC. The staff was rude and pushy with the exception of the employees working in the cafe. I highly recommend visiting the cafe. I was also locked in the building for 10+ and not permitted to leave due to an issue that was not disclosed to guests. I would go to anywhere in DC again except for the National Archives.

John Neff

SerpAPI

Security staff are a joke, while going through the security screening process two security staff screamed and yelled at my child. They soured what was an anticipated visit to see our nations founding documents into a terrible experience. The security staff needs to take a class on sensitivity training. What an embarrassment to our national treasures.