Where is the original Declaration of Independence displayed?

The original Declaration of Independence is displayed in the National Archives Building, specifically in the Rotunda in Washington, D.C.

The document on view is the engrossed parchment copy, handwritten and signed by delegates to the Second Continental Congress. Congress adopted the Declaration on July 4, 1776, and delegates began signing the parchment version on August 2.

The Declaration has traveled through several government institutions. It was held by the State Department and later displayed at the Library of Congress before being transferred to the National Archives in 1952. It shares the Rotunda with the Constitution and Bill of Rights, collectively known as the Charters of Freedom.

Visitors may notice that the ink is faint and the parchment is heavily faded. The document is kept in a sealed, carefully controlled case with low light levels to slow further deterioration. Independence Hall is where the Declaration was debated and adopted, but it is not where the original parchment is displayed today.