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America’sTime Capsule

 

America’s Time Capsule is a once-in-a-generation national record created to mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Led by America250, this official project will preserve a representative snapshot of the United States at 250 years to be seen in 2276, when America celebrates its 500th anniversary. On July 4, 2026, the capsule will be ceremonially buried at Independence National Historical Park, where it will remain sealed for 250 years as an enduring gift from today’s Americans to future generations.

 

Why a Time Capsule?

America’s Time Capsule was established in America250’s founding public law, which directed the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission to create a lasting national marker of this historic milestone. Congress charged America250 with preserving a record that reflects the full federation of states and territories and the institutions that shape our civic life. More than a symbolic gesture, the capsule fulfills a national responsibility: to document who we were at 250 so that Americans in 2276 can look back with clarity and context.

 

Contents

What Is Included?

The capsule, recently sealed by the project team, contains a carefully curated collection of letters and artifacts representing American life in 2026. The collection includes contributions from all three branches of the U.S. federal government, submissions from each of the 56 states and territories, and select items from America250 partners. Cultural touchstones, including items from major national events and student submissions from America250 programs, will help paint a broader portrait of the country. Together, these materials create an authentic and nationally representative record of leadership, community, and culture at this defining moment.

Design

Engineered to Last Another 250 Years

Designed in collaboration with scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology and preservation experts at the Library of Congress, the capsule has been engineered to withstand centuries underground. Unlike traditional box-shaped time capsules, it is constructed as a precision-milled stainless steel cylindrical vessel built to rigorous federal specifications. Its tubular design minimizes structural vulnerabilities, while a protective metal bell jar creates an air pocket to guard against moisture. Built for durability and longevity, America’s Time Capsule is designed to ensure that when it is opened in 2276, its contents remain dry, intact, and ready to tell the story of America at 250.

America’s Time Capsule Image Library

Time Capsule Image Library

The capsule will be buried in Independence Mall in Philadelphia, beneath a new sculpture based on Benjamin Franklin’s famous “Join or Die” cartoon (image courtesy of Independence Historical Trust)

A new sculpture based on Benjamin Franklin’s “Join or Die” cartoon will mark the location of America’s Time Capsule (image courtesy of Independence Historical Trust)

Technical drawing of the planned Time Capsule design (image courtesy of NIST)

Profile view of the planned Time Capsule design, showing dimensions (image courtesy of NIST)

Cross-section of Time Capsule profile, showing arrangement of artifact boxes and document storage vessel (image courtesy of NIST)

Additional detail view of archival units within the Time Capsule (image courtesy of NIST)

The America250 time capsule, shown here in the machine shop where it was created at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Gaithersburg, Md. (image courtesy of NIST)

The America250 time capsule, left, and the bell jar that will fit on top of it, shown here in the machine shop where they were created at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Gaithersburg, Md. (image courtesy of NIST)

The men and women of the NIST Fabrication Technology Office, designers and builders of the America250 time capsule, at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Gaithersburg, Md. (image courtesy of NIST)

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Project Partners

The America’s Time Capsule project is being led by a collaborative, multi-agency team of scientists, preservation experts, and historians.

America250
America250
National Institute of Standards and Technology
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Library of Congress
Library of Congress
National Park Service
National Park Service
Independence Historical Trust
Independence Historical Trust

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