The Public Vaults to Open in November

John W. Carlin

For more than a half-century, millions of Americans have made a pilgrimage to the National Archives to see the parchment documents that asserted our nation’s independence, created our democratic government, and guaranteed our individual rights. These visitors could view of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights&emdash;known collectively as the Charters of Freedom&emdash;the very documents signed by Adams, Franklin, Jefferson, and Madison. When they exited the building, however, they had little to take with them. They left without any knowledge of the revolutionary times that produced these documents, without understanding the role of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), not realizing that they were just a few steps from millions of documents and photographs that tell the story of America, and possibly, their own family. With the opening of an exciting, innovative exhibition, a visit to the National Archives will be more rewarding, more memorable, and even more entertaining. We will take you beyond the Charters, beyond our walls and into our stacks and vaults to see for yourself the many documents and records&emdash;some very famous, others quite obscure&emdash;that have nurtured and shaped our nation.

The Public Vaults, which open in November, are a major component of the National Archives Experience and an interactive permanent exhibition that transports visitors into the world of records and the heart of our government. This new exhibition&emdash; complete with electronic tools that allow you to explore records in detail&emdash;is made possible in large part by the generous support of the Foundation for the National Archives. At any given moment, the Public Vaults display about 1,100 records including originals or facsimiles of documents, photographs, maps, drawings, film and audio clips that allow visitors to see the raw materials of our American democracy. These documents range from important treaties and legislation dealing with grave matters of state to fascinating stories of individual citizens.

Each of the Public Vaults draws its themes from words in the Preamble to the Constitution.

• “We the People” focuses on family and citizenship. Here, visitors learn that the National Archives has records about not only famous people but also ordinary Americans.
• “To Form a More Perfect Union” highlights records of liberty and law that illustrate the evolution of our democracy. In this vault, for instance, visitors can listen to congressional debates on prohibition in 1918 and reinstating the draft in 1940.
• “Promote the General Welfare” emphasizes records that demonstrates how the human spirit and ingenuity helped to realize many of the promises of America as envisioned by the Founders.
• “Provide for the Common Defense” is built around the themes of war and diplomacy. Records from the Revolutionary War through the Persian Gulf War paint a vivid picture of heroism, inspiration, and sacrifice.
• “To Ourselves and Our Posterity” focuses on the National Archives’ role in keeping records for future generations. In this vault, visitors learn how a government document becomes a record at NARA and also find out how to care for their own family records.

Connecting all of the vaults is the Record of America corridor which takes visitors on a journey through time to see how the keeping of records has evolved, from our earliest treaties with Native Americans to the first Presidential web site.

With the strong and steady support of the foundation, we are now able to offer a permanent exhibit that includes many of the records that document the rights of our citizens, the actions of our government officials, and our national experience. I encourage readers to visit the Public Vaults and the other components of our National Archives Experience at the National Archives Building in Washington and leave entertained, enriched, and enlightened. For more information, visit <http://www.archives.gov>.