National Archives Building
The National Archives Building — informally known as Archives I — is the headquarters of the United States National Archives and Records Administration, situated north of the National Mall at 700 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C. Designed by John Russell Pope in a monumental Neoclassical style and completed in 1935, the building houses the original Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights in its Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom. Its paired inscriptions — “What is Past is Prologue” and “Eternal Vigilance is the Price of Liberty” — have become landmarks of American civic identity.
At a glance
- Type
- Federal archive and public monument
- Period
- Constructed 1931–1935; opened to the public 1935
- Style
- Neoclassical
- Location
- 700 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, D.C., USA · 38.8928° N, 77.0229° W
Overview
The National Archives Building is the official custodian of the founding documents of the United States, including the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. Occupying a full city block between Pennsylvania and Constitution Avenues, it stands as one of Washington’s most imposing Neoclassical structures. A second facility, Archives II in College Park, Maryland, houses the bulk of the federal government’s documentary holdings.
History
Before the National Archives existed, federal records were scattered across government departments, often stored in damp basements and attics with little protection. Congress authorized a permanent home for the nation’s documents in 1926, and architect John Russell Pope was commissioned to design a structure worthy of the task. Construction began in 1931 and the building was completed in 1935, with Franklin D. Roosevelt presiding over the dedication ceremony. The Charters of Freedom were moved here permanently, giving the public a place to see the original manuscripts of American democracy.
What you see
The exterior features 72 Corinthian columns arranged on all four sides, bronze doors weighing six tons each, and sculptural groups by Adolph Weinman flanking the Constitution Avenue entrance. Inside, the domed Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom displays the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights in sealed enclosures filled with inert argon gas to prevent deterioration. The Research Entrance on Pennsylvania Avenue leads to reading rooms used by scholars and genealogists consulting the archive’s vast holdings of census records, military service files, and government papers.
Cultural significance
As custodian of the documents that define American constitutional democracy, the National Archives Building occupies a unique place in world heritage — it is both a functioning government institution and a secular temple to the idea of written self-governance. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and draws millions of visitors who come to view the original parchment manuscripts of the founding era.
Practical information
- Address
- 700 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. 20408
- Public museum hours
- Check official website: archives.gov
- Admission
- Free
- Research access
- By appointment via archives.gov; research entrance on Pennsylvania Avenue
Getting there
The nearest Metro station is Archives–Navy Memorial–Penn Quarter on the Green and Yellow Lines, one block from the building. Multiple bus lines serve Pennsylvania Avenue and Constitution Avenue. The building is also accessible on foot from the National Mall.