Thinking of an American history tour? Tired of screen time filled with digital reproductions? The original founding documents of the United States have just left Washington DC to travel the nation. They’re the real deal — and a great destination for the perfect weekend getaway with kids.
The Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Bill of Rights and other founding documents usually reside, under guard, at the National Archives in Washington DC. Families who’ve never done an American history tour are in a for a surprise. To celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, the National Archives is bringing some of these original documents to major museums across the country.
They’re traveling on a Boeing 737 “Freedom Plane.” The red, white and blue-liveried Freedom Plane, a project of President Trump’s Freedom 250 celebration of America’s semiquincentennial, takes to the skies March 6 to August 15, 2026.
Crib notes on the documents you will be seeing!
There will be eight major Founding-era documents making their own American history tour at each of the museums. They include:
- Original Engraving of the Declaration of Independence, 1823: One of only about 50 known engraved copies of the Declaration of Independence, printed from a copperplate of the original. Commissioned by John Quincy Adams and made by engraver William J. Stone, the engraving captured the size, text, lettering, and signatures of the original document (on loan from David M. Rubenstein).
- Articles of Association, 1774: Signed by all 53 delegates, the Articles of Association urged colonists to boycott British goods and was the Continental Congress’s first major unified act of resistance against Britain.
- George Washington’s, Alexander Hamilton’s, and Aaron Burr’s Oaths of Allegiance, 1778: Oaths of Allegiance that all officers of the Continental Army signed during the Revolutionary War. General Washington signed his at Valley Forge!
- Treaty of Paris, 1783: Signed by John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and John Jay, this Treaty with Great Britain formally recognized the United States as an independent nation. It marked the end of the Revolutionary War.
- Secret Printing of the Constitution in Draft Form, 1787: A rare copy of the U.S. Constitution in draft form, with the delegate’s handwritten notes made during the Constitutional Convention in 1787.
- Tally of Votes Approving the Constitution, 1787: The voting records of the Constitutional Convention reflecting the debates, resolutions, and eventual vote on the final text that would become the Constitution.
Where can we see the real founding documents?
The Freedom Plane National Tour: Documents That Forged a Nation traveling exhibition visits eight American cities from March through August 2026.
“There is no more noteworthy an occasion than America’s 250th birthday to share this history,” said Senior Advisor to the Archivist of the United States Jim Byron, “to inspire our fellow Americans to champion our nation’s founding ideals into the future.” Here are the stops on the aerial American history tour, many of them in affordable cities and several offering free admission.
Kansas City, Missouri: National WWI Museum and Memorial
The Museum and Memorial holds the most comprehensive collection of World War I objects and documents in the world. Friday, March 6 – Sunday, March 22
Atlanta, Georgia: Atlanta History Center
Spend the entire day here at a 33-acre campus with historic houses and gardens, celebrating its own centennial. Friday, March 27 – Sunday, April 12
Los Angeles, California: University of Southern California Fisher Museum of Art
Free public art museum with a comprehensive collection of art from different eras. Friday, April 17 – Sunday, May 3
Houston, Texas: Houston Museum of Natural Science
It’s a centerpiece of the museum district with wonderful butterfly and natural history exhibits. Friday, May 8 – Monday, May 25
Denver, Colorado: History Colorado Center
Downtown cultural venue with rotating displays about local history. Thursday, May 28 – Sunday, June 14
Miami, Florida: HistoryMiami Museum
One of the city’s original cultural hubs and a Smithsonian Affiliate. Saturday, June 20 – Sunday, July 5
Dearborn, Michigan: Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation
Stunning collection of Americana, innovation and invention, in addition to classic cars and treasures owned by the Ford family. Thursday, July 9 – Sunday, July 26
Seattle, Washington: Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI)
A private heritage organization that teaches the diverse history of Seattle, the Puget Sound region, and the nation. Thursday, July 30 – Sunday, August 16
Note that none of the stops were even part of the Thirteen Colonies! In fact, back in 1776, the land that is today Missouri was Spanish Upper Louisiana under the control of Spain. The territory was populated by French Creoles and the Illini Confederacy of Native Americans.
What is Freedom 250 and what happened to America250?
You may have heard about conflicts surrounding America250, the Congressionally authorized committee to honor the nation’s 250th anniversary. The official federal organizing group has been planning America’s 250th anniversary celebrations since 2016.
In late 2025, President Trump announced Freedom 250,a privately funded group within the Department of the Interior to support selected projects. Since most of the funds apportioned to the not-for-profit America250 campaign have not materialized, there are questions about whether Freedom 250 is siphoning off taxpayer money to stage their own events.
Despite the controversy, Freedom 250 is behind the American history tour sharing these priceless documents with caretaker institutions. We are grateful for that.
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