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If you think planning a big birthday party is stressful, try planning one that won’t wrap up until the year 2276.
To mark America’s 250th anniversary on July 4, 2026, the congressionally created, nonpartisan group United States Semiquincentennial Commission (aka America250) is burying an official national time capsule in Philadelphia, then sealing it for 250 years. The opening date? July 4, 2276. Go ahead and set your calendar reminder now.
The 3-foot-tall stainless steel cylinder will be placed at Independence National Historical Park, near Independence Hall, under the future footprint of a sculpture inspired by Benjamin Franklin’s segmented “Join, or Die” snake. Before it disappears underground, the capsule will go on public display in Philly in late June, giving visitors a look at the patriotic message-in-a-bottle.
Inside, you’ll find dozens of archival boxes representing all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and five U.S. territories, plus contributions from the executive, legislative and judicial branches. Early confirmed items include memorabilia from the 2026 Rose Parade, student submissions from America250’s “America’s Field Trip” contest, sports artifacts from national league partners and a handheld flag from an “America Waves” event. States have until mid-March to submit their picks and they’ve been given wide latitude—as long as the materials are chemically stable enough to survive two and a half centuries underground.
Which is a real concern. Engineers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology worked with preservation experts at the Library of Congress and the National Park Service to design a vessel that can withstand water, gas and time itself. The capsule is made from corrosion-resistant 316L stainless steel and capped with a metal bell jar to create a protective air pocket.
Why so serious about durability? Because history has a sense of humor. When West Point archaeologists opened a 200-year-old time capsule in 2023, they found mostly dirt and a few coins. Organizers are determined that America’s 250th won’t turn into America’s Dust Pile.
Come July 4, the capsule will be ceremonially buried, officially handed over to the National Park Service and left to rest for a quarter of a millennium. When it’s finally opened, future Americans will get a snapshot of who we were at 250—our institutions, our culture and, hopefully, some beautiful surprises.