America250’s national time capsule is scheduled to be reopened in 2276.
The capsule was sealed and buried during the 2026 Semiquincentennial, creating a 250-year bridge between America’s 250th and 500th anniversaries. Its planned reopening year therefore matches the United States’ anticipated quincentennial milestone.
The contents were intended to preserve a broad record of American life at the 250-year point. They included contributions from the three branches of the federal government, every state, Washington, D.C., five U.S. territories, national partners, and America250 initiatives.
The capsule is separate from earlier commemorative time capsules and from ordinary museum collections. Its long interval makes preservation and documentation especially important: the objects are meant to communicate with people living centuries after the original celebration. The date 2276 follows directly from adding 250 years to the 2026 burial year.