A 900-pound time capsule marking the 250th anniversary of American independence has been sealed shut and shipped to Philadelphia, where it will be buried Saturday. The 2016 law creating the nonpartisan America 250 commission mandated the creation of a time capsule to be buried on July 4, 2026, and opened 250 years later. The time capsule was built at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, with careful attention paid to ensuring it will be watertight and airtight. It includes submissions from the three branches of the federal government, all 50 states, the five U.S. territories and the District of Columbia.
Most contents are in small archival boxes, while paper documents are in a separate compartment. According to a list posted on the America250 website in June, archival quality paper was a particularly popular choice, with states submitting hundreds of letters, postcards, posters, poems and other printed material.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., from left, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., unveil the Congressional Time Capsule during the ceremony dedicating the semi-quincentennial Congressional Time Capsule at the Capitol, Wednesday, June 24, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
The commission publicly released the list of contents last month. North Carolina has contributed a poem and a commemorative copper disk with South Carolina adding a challenge coin and commemorative pin. Interact with the map below to see how that compares to other states.
To ensure the America 250 capsule is found in 2276, the National Park Service has included details about it in its succession plans to be passed down through time. A capstone with information about it will cover the spot where it’s buried.
