National Archives Building
Encyclopedia
The National Archives Building, known informally as Archives I, is the original headquarters of the National Archives and Records Administration
. It is located north of the National Mall
at 700 Pennsylvania Avenue
, Northwest, Washington, D.C..
The Rotunda entrance is on Constitution Avenue
, while the research entrance is on Pennsylvania Avenue
.
and its government: the Declaration of Independence
, the Constitution
, and the Bill of Rights
. It also hosts a copy of the 1297 Magna Carta
confirmed by Edward I.
These are displayed to the public in the main chamber of the National Archives, which is called the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom.
The National Archives Building also exhibits other important American historical documents such as the Louisiana Purchase Treaty, the Emancipation Proclamation
, and collections of photography and other historically and culturally significant American artifacts.
Once 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.
For over 30 years, the National Archives have forbidden flash photography, but the advent of digital cameras with automatic flashes have made the rules increasingly difficult to enforce.
As a result, all filming, photographing, and videotaping by the public in the exhibition areas has been prohibited.
Ground was broken on September 9, 1931.
President Herbert Hoover
laid the cornerstone in February 1933.
It was completed in 1935.
A renovation was completed in late 2004.
National Archives and Records Administration
The National Archives and Records Administration is an independent agency of the United States government charged with preserving and documenting government and historical records and with increasing public access to those documents, which comprise the National Archives...
. It is located north of the National Mall
National Mall
The National Mall is an open-area national park in downtown Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. The National Mall is a unit of the National Park Service , and is administered by the National Mall and Memorial Parks unit...
at 700 Pennsylvania Avenue
Pennsylvania Avenue
Pennsylvania Avenue is a street in Washington, D.C. that joins the White House and the United States Capitol. Called "America's Main Street", it is the location of official parades and processions, as well as protest marches...
, Northwest, Washington, D.C..
The Rotunda entrance is on Constitution Avenue
Constitution Avenue
In Washington, D.C., Constitution Avenue is a major east-west street running just north of the United States Capitol in the city's Northwest and Northeast quadrants...
, while the research entrance is on Pennsylvania Avenue
Pennsylvania Avenue
Pennsylvania Avenue is a street in Washington, D.C. that joins the White House and the United States Capitol. Called "America's Main Street", it is the location of official parades and processions, as well as protest marches...
.
Exhibits
It holds the original copies of the three main formative documents of the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and its government: the Declaration of Independence
Declaration of independence
A declaration of independence is an assertion of the independence of an aspiring state or states. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the territory of another nation or failed nation, or are breakaway territories from within the larger state...
, the Constitution
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
, and the Bill of Rights
Bill of rights
A bill of rights is a list of the most important rights of the citizens of a country. The purpose of these bills is to protect those rights against infringement. The term "bill of rights" originates from England, where it referred to the Bill of Rights 1689. Bills of rights may be entrenched or...
. It also hosts a copy of the 1297 Magna Carta
Magna Carta
Magna Carta is an English charter, originally issued in the year 1215 and reissued later in the 13th century in modified versions, which included the most direct challenges to the monarch's authority to date. The charter first passed into law in 1225...
confirmed by Edward I.
These are displayed to the public in the main chamber of the National Archives, which is called the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom.
The National Archives Building also exhibits other important American historical documents such as the Louisiana Purchase Treaty, the Emancipation Proclamation
Emancipation Proclamation
The Emancipation Proclamation is an executive order issued by United States President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, during the American Civil War using his war powers. It proclaimed the freedom of 3.1 million of the nation's 4 million slaves, and immediately freed 50,000 of them, with nearly...
, and collections of photography and other historically and culturally significant American artifacts.
Once 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.
For over 30 years, the National Archives have forbidden flash photography, but the advent of digital cameras with automatic flashes have made the rules increasingly difficult to enforce.
As a result, all filming, photographing, and videotaping by the public in the exhibition areas has been prohibited.
History
Congress authorized construction in 1926.Ground was broken on September 9, 1931.
President Herbert Hoover
Herbert Hoover
Herbert Clark Hoover was the 31st President of the United States . Hoover was originally a professional mining engineer and author. As the United States Secretary of Commerce in the 1920s under Presidents Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge, he promoted partnerships between government and business...
laid the cornerstone in February 1933.
It was completed in 1935.
A renovation was completed in late 2004.
External links
- http://www.archives.gov/nae/visit/
- http://www.archives.gov/about/history/building-an-archives/description.html