The Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights were first displayed together in the National Archives Rotunda in 1952. The three documents are collectively known as the Charters of Freedom.
The National Archives Building in Washington, D.C., opened as the Archives’ original headquarters in 1935. Its main chamber was designed to display the nation’s foundational documents for the public, making the building an important setting for America250-related history.
In 1952, the documents were placed in specially constructed, hermetically sealed encasements filled with inert helium gas. The protective system was intended to reduce deterioration caused by air and environmental conditions.
The documents had been moved to Fort Knox during World War II for safekeeping and returned after the danger passed. The Declaration’s display location is sometimes confused with Independence Hall in Philadelphia, where Congress adopted it in 1776; the original engrossed document is displayed in Washington.