National Archives and Records Administration

Love this! its a place to go to see your Declaration of Independence and many other things up close. Its part of the history. Very impressive, lots of interesting exhibits. Does not take much of your time. There is absolutely no pictures inside. You would have to go through medal detector, be expected for all the museums in the mall. Lots of security guards and they are very helpful to show us where to go and what to see.

If you are a true patriot, you must go here. This is one of if not THE coolest museums for American history in the country. It was really cool to see the Articles of Confederation, Bill of Rights, Constitution and of course the Declaration of Independence all in the same place. They even have one of the four original copies of the Magna Carta! I just wish ALL people had the rights specified at the time these charters of freedom were drawn up, as we all know only a certain segment of the population was able to enjoy these freedoms for a large portion of our nation’s history. The one negative (which I totally understand) is that you can’t take any pictures in here. Definitely a must visit for every American.

It was so awesome to see the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights all in one spot up close. It’s very hard to read since it’s faded but it’s still a cool experience. You have to go to the 2^nd floor in the Rotunda room. I like how they have a queue to line up in and every so minutes, they let groups in to control the size of the crowd. They also have the Magna Carta in the Rubenstein room on the first floor. They have a lot of interactive exhibits so you can learn how certain acts and amendments came into law and who supported what. By visiting the National Archives, it made me more interested in learning my family’s history and how to got into the USA.
Although It’s not necessary but we booked our tickets online ahead of time so we can a reserved timed entry. The National Archives only allow a certain amount of people into the building a given time and day.

I visited last Friday towards the Weems of the day and the crowds were not an issue. Even to see the Charters of Freedom, hardly had to wait.
Pretty cool to see the Charters of Freedom, but squinting is required if you would like to read them. There are some cool other exhibits that would remind you about things in history you forgot about. What kind of sucks, that they don’t allow any photography even if its non flash.

What the National Archives is the most famous for housing are the original Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, and the Constitution, however, it houses a variety of other documents and exhibits as well. The rotunda room where these are housed is absolutely gorgeous! The murals are interesting as well and you can see Abraham Lincoln’s silhouette in the clouds on the mural closest to the Declaration of Independence. These exhibits, while historical, were not the highlight of my recent visit. I had heard there was an exhibition entitled «Spirited Republic: Alcohol in American History» and this was the main purpose of my visit on this particular day. This exhibits ends on January 10, 2016 so if you haven’t already seen it, I highly recommend you do so. It goes through the history of alcohol in America, the prohibition era, and the modern way drinking affects our society today. One of the most interesting aspects of this exhibit to me were the various patents throughout time. They range from design to mechanical to storage of alcohol. If you work in the patent field or know someone who does (like the person I viewed the exhibit with), make sure you stop by take a peek. It was also fun to see some of the old posters from the temperance movement and the absurd beliefs that were held by «drys» during that time period. We spent maybe 90 minutes here and still did not see everything but since it’s free, we will be back to continue the visit.

I am such a fan of all museums. This one is of course where you can see the Declaration and the Bill of Rights, but it is much more than that.
there is a learning center to roam around, as well as a rotating exhibit on the upper level. This time it was about booze! I loved it. It takes you through this history of the US being for booze, then against it, then again for it. I highly recommend it for all!
The only thing. I wish they would let you take pictures. there are posted signs everywhere saying no photos allowed. though clearly by the photos posted on Unilocal,many have decided to sneak a few anyway. I was not that brave, but maybe next time. :)

You have to see the original Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. Very impressive. Lots of interesting exhibits. Takes maybe less than a half day to see everything. I didn’t do any guided tour and didn’t feel I needed one for this museum.
Just a block away from the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History so if you finish that museum, you can just walk over to the National Archives and check it out. Well worth your time.

Saw original Magna Carta and Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights. All sealed in special inert argon gas special cases.
This place is also air conditioned.

I dropped in to check on the Bill of Rights and make sure my rights were all still there. They’re a little hard to read, but it seems like my right not to have to provide a crash pad for any soldiers in the neighborhood is secure. The others seemed to be fading a bit.
There’s plenty else here, too, you’ll find records of civil rights leaders advocating for for the Civil Rights Act, women’s rights leaders advocating against the Equal Rights Amendment, and a variety of fascinating documents preceding the Constitution. The rotunda in which the Constitution and various other important ones are displayed is an impressive sight in its own right.
Bear in mind that the place isn’t that big and there’s only one entrance, and if you come without a timed ticket, there are often lines. Also, you can’t take pictures (even without flash), which sounds like kind of a violation of freedom of the press; the signs say it’s to protect the documents

It’s breathtaking to see these national treasures that learn in our history books. I was lucky to not have to wait in any line to get into the place on a Sunday afternoon. There were crowds in the round room, but still managed to see it all without much hassle.
Not only are the documents historical, but also artistic. Just imagine the person who handwrote them! I was so inspired, I recently brought a dipping pen and ink to start learning calligraphy!

This place is super neat but it’s sort of sad that you are unable to take pictures within the facility but I totally understand it.
This entire building is filled with so much history that it brings a freaking freedom tear to my eye. When I walked into this building, I swore that a bald eagle flew by sang the national anthem.
Seeing the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights was nothing short of a freedom boner.
Thanks America, you’re all right.

This place is a must see whether you’re a visitor or a local. Be sure and check out the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights. They’re faded of course (apparently the Feds were an epic fail at storing them until recently) but still worth seeing and even worth fighting the hordes of annoying tourists. One somewhat lesser known document is a copy of the Magna Carta dating from the 1200s, think about it. That document was much older when our nation was founded than our founding papers are today. Crazy, huh? They also have an interesting exhibit on immigration and sort of a general history of the United States told from the archives. The history of alcohol in the US is interesting too but sadly no free samples!
I’m tempted to minus a star for the surly security guards who act like they’re guarding the president rather than manning a possibly semi-​functional metal detector and telling tourists photography is forbidden. Y’all are DC self importance at its worst, chill a little alright?

Awe-​inspiring. You are in the room with the very documents that led the founding of a nation. While they are the clear & unquestioned focal point of the National Archives, they are not its sole attraction, as you can watch a film about the history of the archives visit rotating exhibitions, or explore its other collections that are open to the public.
The fact that photography is not allowed is disappointing, but understandable from a preservationist’s standpoint.
I would recommend getting a timed entry pass online. You’ll still need to stand in line outside to go through security, but on busy days, the timed entry beats waiting. There is a gift shop with an exceptional collection of books, trinkets & collectibles to take home as souvenirs.

A building filled with treasures!
As Robin O so expertly states — it’s a place that you could totally lose yourself in. Unfortunately I did not spend as much time here as I would have liked but if you are in DC — this is definitely a place to stop. The Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom displays for all to see the Bill of Rights Magna Carta, Declaration of Independence and Constitution — the cornerstones of the creation of our nation. It’s amazing to see how such delicate writing could lead to profound actions and ideas. I was lucky to go on a «slow» day and did not have to wait (or elbow to many people) in order to see these documents. Look with your eyes only as there are eagle eyed guards who will stop any one who tries to take a picture.
If you get a chance there is also an exhibit as to how they «saved’ the Constitution. Until my visit I never knew that it was in danger of basically disintegrating before our eyes. The amount of collaboration from various organizations and the precision that was needed to ensure its availability for generations to come was fascinating.
I also quickly looked through the Public Vaults Exhibition — again (as with many of the places I visited during my trip to DC) I was amazed at the documents that have been «saved», cataloged and archived. The National Archives and Records Administration preserves public records of our nation — but I never considered all the documents that «could» be cataloged. My personal favorite was the Monopoly prototype that was on display.
I have heard that the National Archives can be pure bedlam as it is a «must stop» for most all tour groups traveling to DC, so take this into consideration when planning your visit.
Again free is good BUT when you are able to view and experience history right before your eyes it put things into perspective

I echo what others have said about going straight to the rotunda first to see the «big three» if you get there when the museum opens. I did that and avoided waiting in line, but it was still very crowded around the documents. As I exited the area, I noticed that the line was already getting pretty long.
The original Declaration of Independence is very faded as already mentioned, but I still was surprised at how much it faded. There are copies in the permanent exhibit that are easier to read though. And faded or not, it’s still really amazing to see such important documents from our history.
I enjoyed the main exhibits. It’s neat to see all the various things we archive for our history, with some amusing touches such as the letter from the kid asking for federal funds because his mom declared his room a disaster area. The temporary exhibit on the history of alcohol in the US was also interesting.
I was a little disappointed that I couldn’t take any photos. I understand it’s for the sake of preserving the documents, but I wished I could take photos of other things like the gorgeous rotunda itself. I was also a little annoyed that the café was closed on a Saturday. I didn’t feel like leaving to eat and coming back, and even having somewhere where I could just grab a quick snack would’ve been nice.

History buffs be warned — you can lose yourself in this place! This was my first trip to National Archives and I was pleasantly surprised! There is so much history to be discovered. You can see historical documents such as the Magna Carta, Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and so much more!
The security throughout the building were very knowledgeable about different aspects of the museum. There were a plethora of interactive Q & A activities — for adults and children alike.
Currently there is a special exhibit on the history of alcohol in the US — pretty neat to see how the prohibition laws came to be, and then were ended.
I highly recommend you pop by archives when you can!

A must! My husband and I came here first thing in the morning and were about 10^th in line. We got there before it opened and waited about 10 – 15 minutes. The line grew quickly and we were glad we waited the extra little bit to get in because it made the experience much more pleasant.
We went right away to see the Bill of Rights, Constitution, and such and were very lucky to be able to enjoy this incredibly important part of our history in peace and quiet. By the time we were ready to move on to other exhibits the room was already getting packed and noisy.
I highly recommend coming EARLY! You won’t regret it and you won’t have to elbow your way in to see the documents.

I give this place 5 stars because it simply exhists. You can see 4 documents that are worth your time and wait in line. They are: The Bill of Rights, The Constitution, The Declaration of Independence and The Magna Carta. Obviously the 1^st 3 are the foundation of our system of government and the Magna Carta really doesn’t belong but since we have it may as well flaunt it.
The Magna Carta is on the 1^st floor and for being a 730 year old document is in unreal condition. Of course this document inspired our Foundinf Fathers so that’s the connection. Sorry but I am ignorant when it comes to how we got one of the original copies.
The star of the Archives is The big 3 located on the 2^nd floor in the Rotunda. When you go up to the Rotunda the security guards give a speech about not touching anything. It”s like I was a kid in glassware section of Macy’s again and my mama was giving me that look. The big deal is to not to touch the glass or take any pics. The Declaration of Independence is fading very badly. I recommend looking at a copy of the document before hand so you can figure out where the signatures are. I noticed John Hancock and that was about it. :(The other 2 documents also have faded somewhat but not as bad. Pay close attention to the gorgeous mural above you in the Rotunda. The artist depicted the signees as ancient Greeks since they were creators of Democracy.
There are several other documents throughout the Archives signed by various Presidents but you came for the Prime Steak not the side salad.

The National Archives and Records is truly a gem in D.C. It’s absolutely amazing that you can go and view our nation’s greatest records at no cost. The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights have been on display here since 1952. The main chamber where these documents are located is called the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom.
The National Archives’ complete collection includes over 3 billion documents and they display many other important documents and letters throughout the building. Definitely worth the visit.

It absolutely amazes me that housed right inside this building –and publicly accessible – are our Nation’s most historical and influential documents. The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights authored by America’s Founding Fathers and heroes reside right here inside this building.
The Rotunda is where you’ll find the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Two large murals (1936 Faulkner Murals) depicting the presentation of the Declaration of Independence grace the Rotunda walls. It may be a little beeezy inside the Rotunda. This is to ensure the preservation of historical documents, many centuries-​old. There is informational clip about the conditions for preserving these documents for future generations in one of the glass cases inside the Rotunda. Strict no camera policy is enforced throughout the Archives.
Throughout the levels you will find America’s most important and most treasured government and historical records like the Emancipation Proclamation, the Magna Carta, Presidential letters and correspondence, Presidential speeches and congressional debates. I enjoyed the exhibit dedicated to history of the United States Patenet Law as well as viewing many famous promotional posters from WWII.
If you’re visiting DC, this is a must-​see spot. Not planning on coming to DC anytime soon? No worries. You can go to the Electronic Records Archive and have unlimited access to many of the nation’s most treasured documents through their Online Exhibits section. How cool is that!