An Unofficial Anthem

Past Exhibit
An Unofficial Anthem Current Exhibit … The original handwritten chorus of "God Bless America," signed by Irving Berlin, ca. 1938 While the “Star-Spangled Banner” is America’s official national anthem, there are multiple tunes that have risen to unofficial status, including Irving Berlin’s “God Bless America.” On view at the National Archives Museum from June 30 - July 5, 2026 are the original handwritten lyrics to “God Bless America,” as composed by Berlin. Handwritten original chorus of "God Bless …

The Beautiful Game

Current Exhibit
The Beautiful Game Ongoing Exhibit … Discover The Beautiful Game from the pitch to the White House In honor of the FIFA World Cup, a soccer ball gifted to President Gerald R. Ford by Brazilian soccer legend Pelé is on display from July 6 through August 19, 2026. In 1975, the pair famously kicked it around the White House Rose Garden. President Gerald R. Ford watches on as Edson Arantes "Pelé " Nacimento juggles a soccer ball on foot and head, seen with Amb. Joao Augusto de Araujo Castro, Ambassador from …

Field Trips

Web Page
Field Trips Web Page … Reservations for the upcoming school year will open in late July 2026. Please contact  fieldtrips@nara.gov  at that time for more information about program offerings and availability.  Inspire students with civics knowledge through discovery of America’s founding documents— and reflection on their role in young people’s lives today—with a class visit to the National Archives! During our free field trips, educators and students embark on an interactive gallery experience and engage in …

50th Anniversary of Apollo XI Moon Landing

Past Exhibit
50th Anniversary of Apollo XI Moon Landing Past Exhibit … On July 20, 1969, astronaut Neil Armstrong made one small step that forever changed history. In commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Apollo XI moon landing, view National Archives records that detail the carefully choreographed sequence of steps—from lift-off to splash-down—that resulted in the mission’s “giant leap for mankind." Apollo 11 Mission image - Astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin walks near the Lunar Module, July 20, 1969. National …

Photography Policy

Web Page
Photography Policy Web Page … Can I take photographs and film in the National Archives? Yes! Non-flash photography, filming, and videotaping for personal use is encouraged in all public areas of the National Archives unless otherwise posted. Flash, other supplemental lighting, selfie sticks, monopods, or similar equipment are not permitted. We encourage you to share your photographs online and tag us @USNatArchives! Those wishing to film for news purposes must contact NARA’s Public Affairs Office in a …

Thanksgiving: Historical Perspectives

Past Exhibit
Thanksgiving Historical Perspectives Past Exhibit … A Harvest Celebration During the autumn of 1621, at least 90 Wampanoag joined 52 English people at what is now Plymouth, Massachusetts, to mark a successful harvest. It is remembered today as the “First Thanksgiving,” although no one back then used that term. In fact, much of the so-called First Thanksgiving story was created decades and centuries later. As a result, many assumptions about the festival at Plymouth and its connection to Thanksgiving …

All American: The Power of Sports

Past Exhibit
All American The Power of Sports Past Exhibit … All American: The Power of Sports The power of sports has many applications. Sports unite people, teach values, and inspire hope and pride. In the United States, sports have powered efforts to bring citizens together, shape them, and project a vision of what it means to be American. But sports convey power to athletes too—power to break social barriers and protest injustice. All American explores the power of sports both to embody our national ideals and …

Vicecapades: 150th Anniversary of the 1873 Comstock Act

Past Exhibit
Vicecapades 150th Anniversary of the 1873 Comstock Act Past Exhibit … An Act for the Suppression of, trade in, and circulation of obscene literature and articles of immoral use known as the Comstock Act Anthony Comstock (1844–1915), a self-appointed guardian of public morality, successfully lobbied Congress for stricter obscenity laws and secured an appointment as a special agent to the United States Postal Service with broad powers to police the mails. The law did not define obscenity—Comstock did. In …

Celebrating Anna May Wong

Past Exhibit
Celebrating Anna May Wong Past Exhibit … “I want to be an actress, not a freak.” Anna May Wong Film legend Anna May Wong’s talent could not be contained by the racist casting of early Hollywood movies. Born Wong Liu Tsong in Los Angeles in 1905, Wong ditched school to sneak onto film sets. She appeared in her first film at age 14 and quickly became a star. Although frustrated by the Asian stereotypes she was forced to play, she appeared in over 60 films and became the first Chinese American international …