America’s Time Capsule, buried for America250, is scheduled to be opened in 2276.
The capsule was created as a record of the United States during its 250th anniversary year. It was buried in Philadelphia at Independence National Historical Park, near the historic sites associated with the Declaration of Independence. Its planned opening in 2276 is intended to coincide with the United States’ 500th anniversary, creating a direct link between the semiquincentennial and a future quincentennial.
The 250-year interval is deliberately longer than the lifespan of ordinary commemorative archives. The capsule’s contents represent government, states and territories, America250 programs, and participating partners. This future-opening date can be confused with 2176, which would be 400 years after independence, or 2500, which is not the intended anniversary milestone.