Founding Documents Embark on First Nationwide Tour

For the first time in United States history, original engravings of the Declaration of Independence, along with other key historical documents, are traveling to cities across the nation. The tour, dubbed “Freedom Plane,” launched on Monday, March 2, 2026, from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, with its first stop in Kansas City, Missouri.

A Historic Journey

The initiative aims to bring America’s foundational documents closer to the public, recognizing that many citizens cannot travel to Washington, D.C. To view them firsthand. As Jim Byron of the National Archives stated, “We know that not everybody’s going to be able to come and see (the documents) in Washington DC. So to be able to take those right up to people’s cities and towns and communities is a once in a generation opportunity.”

Documents on Display

Among the documents included in the tour are an original engraving of the Declaration of Independence, oaths of allegiance signed by George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and Aaron Burr, and the Treaty of Paris, which formally ended the American Revolutionary War.

The “Freedom Plane”

The documents are being transported on a Boeing 737-7BC aircraft manufactured in 2000 and owned by Boeing, which is partnering with the National Archives for the tour. The aircraft is a modernized tribute to the “Freedom Train” of 1976, which also took founding documents on a national tour for the bicentennial. Boeing pilot Joe Seymour expressed the significance of the mission, noting the historical weight of the signatures on the documents.

Tour Schedule

The “Freedom Plane” is scheduled to visit the following cities:

• Kansas City, MO: National WWI Museum and Memorial (March 6 – March 22)
• Atlanta, GA: Atlanta History Center (March 27 – April 12)
• Los Angeles, CA: University of Southern California Fisher Museum of Art (April 17 – May 3)
• Houston, TX: Houston Museum of Natural Science (May 8 – May 25)
• Denver, CO: History Colorado Center (May 28 – June 14)
• Miami, FL: HistoryMiami Museum (June 20 – July 5)
• Dearborn, MI: Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation (July 9 – July 26)
• Seattle, WA: Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI) (July 30 – August 16)

Preservation and Security

The National Archives has prioritized the safety and security of the documents throughout the tour. Specialized display cases maintain precise humidity and temperature levels, and are equipped with ballistic glass and sensors to protect against damage. The documents typically reside in secured vaults at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.

The Charters of Freedom – the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights – are considered instrumental to the founding and philosophy of the United States.