History Takes Flight for America’s 250th Anniversary
The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), in partnership with the National Archives Foundation, is bringing America’s early founding story to communities across the country with an ambitious traveling exhibition: the Freedom Plane National Tour: Documents That Forged a Nation.
Announced on January 20, 2026, the tour will run from March through August 2026 and will transport original Founding-era documents to eight U.S. cities—a first-of-its-kind effort designed to broaden public access beyond Washington, DC during the nation’s 250th birthday celebration.
A Boeing 737 “Freedom Plane” Will Carry the Records City to City
At the center of the tour is a specially designated Boeing 737 in Freedom Plane livery. Boeing is providing the aircraft and operational support to move the exhibition between venues, enabling multiple historic documents to travel together nationwide.
The project is inspired by the Bicentennial Freedom Train, reimagined for the aviation era—using flight to connect people and places with the ideas and decisions that shaped the United States.
What Documents Are Traveling?
The exhibition includes original National Archives records traveling together for the first time, featuring several cornerstone artifacts from the Revolutionary era and the Constitutional Convention. Highlights include:
- Original Engraving of the Declaration of Independence (1823) — an engraved copy printed from a copperplate created by engraver William J. Stone at the direction of John Quincy Adams (on loan from David M. Rubenstein).
- Articles of Association (1774) — signed by 53 delegates, calling for a boycott of British goods and representing a major unified act of resistance by the Continental Congress.
- Oaths of Allegiance (1778) — Revolutionary War-era oaths signed by Continental Army officers, including George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and Aaron Burr.
- Treaty of Paris (1783) — signed by John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and John Jay, formally recognizing the United States as an independent nation.
- Secret Printing of the Constitution in Draft Form (1787) — a rare draft copy with handwritten notes from the Constitutional Convention.
- Tally of Votes Approving the Constitution (1787) — voting records reflecting debate, resolutions, and the final approval of the Constitution’s text.
Tour Schedule: Eight Cities, Eight Major Museums
The Freedom Plane National Tour will make stops at major cultural institutions across the country. Each venue will host the exhibition for a limited time:
- Kansas City, MO — National WWI Museum and Memorial: March 6–March 22
- Atlanta, GA — Atlanta History Center: March 27–April 12
- Los Angeles, CA — USC 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
Admission and Tickets
The exhibition will be free and open to the public at all eight venues. Visitors should check each host museum’s website for ticketing details and entry procedures.
Who’s Supporting the Tour?
The Freedom Plane National Tour is supported in part by the National Archives Foundation, with backing from The Boeing Company, Comcast Corporation, Microsoft, and P&G. Organizers emphasize that the goal is straightforward: make the nation’s documentary history accessible to more Americans, in more places, during a milestone anniversary year.
Why This Matters
For decades, many of the most recognizable artifacts of U.S. democracy have been experienced primarily by those who can travel to the National Archives in Washington, DC. By putting these records on a dedicated aircraft and building a multi-city museum schedule around them, NARA and its partners are effectively turning a traditional static exhibit model into a national, aviation-enabled outreach effort.
In 2026, the Freedom Plane National Tour aims to do more than move documents—it’s designed to move the story of America’s founding closer to the people living it today.
