National Archives and Records Administration, National archives in Washington, D.C., United States
The National Archives and Records Administration is a federal facility in Washington, D.C., holding government documents and records. The 1930s building features classical columns, bronze doors, and a large hall with marble floors in the center of the city.
The building opened in 1935 as a central repository for federal records, after President Franklin D. Roosevelt established the agency the year before. Prior to that, government documents were scattered across different departments and often stored unsafely.
The Rotunda displays the founding documents of the United States in glassed enclosures, visited daily by people from all parts of the country. Words from the historic papers are engraved on the walls, and each evening the documents are automatically lowered into an armored vault.
The entrance is on Constitution Avenue and requires passing through security screening. Mornings during weekdays tend to be less crowded than afternoons and weekends.
Beyond the well-known founding documents, the facility holds millions of photographs, maps, and records spanning two centuries of government work. Researchers from around the world use the collections to explore family histories or historical events.
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