The National Archives Museum - See the Constitution & Declaration of Independence - Washington DC

Join me as I visit and tour the National Archives which holds the United State's most valuable and historic document. The National Archives (known informally as Archives I) is the headquarters of the United States National Archives and Records Administration. It is located at 700 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. in Washington, D.C. The National Archives building holds original copies of the three main formative documents of the United States and its government: the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. These are on display for the public in the main chamber's rotunda, known as Charters of Freedom. The Emancipation Proclamation will be added to the permanent display in 2026. The building hosts additional important American historical items, including the Continental Association, the Articles of Confederation, the Louisiana Purchase Treaty, and collections of photography and other historically and culturally significant American and international artifacts, including an original version of the 1297 Magna Carta confirmed by Edward I. Inside the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom, there are no lines to see the individual documents, and visitors are allowed to walk from document to document as they wish. Photography with natural light is permitted in research rooms.