America250 buried its 2026 national time capsule in Philadelphia.
The burial took place at Independence National Historical Park on July 4, 2026, as part of the United States Semiquincentennial observances. The capsule contains contributions from all U.S. states and territories, along with materials from America250 and its partners.
The project is designed to connect the 250th anniversary with the nation's future. Its scheduled opening date is July 4, 2276, the 500th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. That long interval gives the capsule a deliberately intergenerational purpose rather than making it a short-term historical exhibit.
Philadelphia is especially significant because it hosted the Second Continental Congress and is home to Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence was adopted in 1776. It can be confused with Washington, D.C., which hosts many national celebrations, or with earlier Philadelphia time capsules connected to the 1976 Bicentennial.