Spring/Summer hours begin at the National Archives on March 27
Press Release · Sunday, August 17, 2008

Washington, DC

With Special Extended Museum Hours Until 8 p.m. for "Magna Carta Days" March 12-26

Washington, DC…Following special extended "Magna Carta Days" -- March 12 through March 26 -- when the National Archives museum will be open until 8 p.m., spring and summer hours will go into effect beginning on Thursday, March 27. The museum, located on the National Mall on Constitution Avenue and 9th Street, NW, will be open to the public from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. seven days a week through Labor Day. Admission is free. The Museum is open every day except Thanksgiving Day and December 25. Last admission is 30 minutes prior to closing.

Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom – On permanent display are the Charters of Freedom - the original Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights.

The Charters of Freedom: "A New World is at Hand" — Surrounding the Rotunda’s centerpiece cases, this exhibit presents a selection of milestone documents that chronicle the creation of the Charters of Freedom in the 18th century and their impact on the course of history in the United States and around the world.

The Public Vaults — This interactive permanent exhibition creates the feeling of going into stacks and vaults of the National Archives. See the raw material from which history is made. From Washington’s letters, Lincoln’s telegrams, and FDR’s fireside chats to UFO reports and declassified secrets of World War II, these documents chronicle both great national events and the lives of individual Americans.

Running for Office: Candidates, Campaigns, and the Cartoons of Clifford Berryman — Just in time for the Presidential campaign swing! “Running for Office” includes 42 exceptional pen-and-ink drawings that highlight timeless aspects of the American campaign and election process. Clifford K. Berryman, staff political cartoonist for The Washington Post and the Washington Evening Star during the first half of the 20th century, drew thousands of cartoons commenting on Presidential and congressional candidates, campaign issues, and elections of his era. Throughout his 53-year extraordinary career, he drew every Presidential administration from Grover Cleveland to Harry Truman. Although faces and personalities change, Berryman’s cartoons illustrate how the political process in our democracy has remained remarkably consistent. The original cartoons on display are part of the official Records of the U.S. Senate housed in the Center for Legislative Archives at the National Archives. This exhibition will be on display through August 17, 2008.

William G. McGowan Theater — By day, 290-seat William G. McGowan Theater continuously shows a short signature film about the National Archives and twice daily shows a film about the Charters of Freedom. By night, the McGowan Theater becomes the Capital region's most important outlet for documentary film as well as a forum for exploring the great issues of American history and other topics related to the National Archives' holdings and mission.

Museum Shop — After visitors have seen our nation's most treasured documents in the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom, there's another important stop to make before they leave. Visitors can take home some treasures of their own. The Museum Shop offers wonderful gifts including: exclusive handmade jewelry depicting architectural elements of the National Archives Building and images of fragments of the Charters of Freedom; uniquely designed pottery, which is based on the fraktur family trees in the Archives' holdings; anything one might need to record and preserve memories of the important moments in life, including photo albums, archival storage boxes, and more!

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For Press information, contact the National Archives Public Affairs staff at 202-357-5300.

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