National Archives Building Designated National Historic Landmark
By Angela Tudico | National Archives News
The National Archives Building in Washington, DC, has been called a “temple to American history.” This view shows the Pennsylania Avenue entrance. (National Archives photo by Richard Schneider)
A series of photographs document the construction of the National Archives Building. This view of the steel framework was taken on September 5, 1933. View in National Archives Catalog
At this stage of construction, the leaves of the Corinthian column capitals on the National Archives Building had not been completely carved. View in National Archives Catalog
This 1935 photograph shows the completed Corinthian column capitals of the National Archives Building. View in the National Archives Catalog
The completed National Archives Building at the corner of Constitution Avenue and Seventh Street, NW, December 25, 1935. View in National Archives Catalog
The Central Search Room as it appeared on June 15, 1936. View in National Archives Catalog
A view of the Constitution Avenue entrance of the National Archives Building with its bronze doors open, June 13, 1936. View in National Archives Catalog
The Rotunda of the National Archives Building under construction, November 3, 1934. View in National Archives Catalog
Tourists view the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights on display in the Rotunda, 1974. View in the National Archives Catalog
Visitors explore the Rotunda of the National Archives Building after the 2001–2003 renovation. (National Archives photo by Jeff Reed) View on Flickr
The National Archives hosts an annual Independence Day celebration with musical performances, a dramatic reading of the Declaration of Independence, and history-related family activities. View on Flickr
The seal of the National Archives is set in bronze on the floor of the Visitor Orientation Plaza outside the entrance to the David M. Rubenstein Gallery. View on Flickr
The William G. McGowan Theater hosts many public lectures, film screenings, and other public programs. View on Flickr
Two statues stand at the Pennsylvania Avenue entrance to the National Archives Building. A man symbolizes “Past,” and "Study the Past" is inscribed on the base. A woman symbolizes “Future,” and "What Is Past Is Prologue" is inscribed on the base. View "Past" on Flickr / View "Future" on Flickr
WASHINGTON, December 13, 2023 — The National Archives Building, located near the National Mall and the most prominent structure in the Federal Triangle in Washington, DC, is now a National Historic Landmark. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland signed the designation on December 13, 2023.
The new status comes more than 50 years after the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, in 1966, as part of the Federal Triangle. It was also listed individually in 1971. The status covers not only the National Archives Building but the entire 5.2-acre square and green spaces, the sculptures at both main entrances, and the small garden and monument stone to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, which was dedicated in 1965.
"It is such an honor to receive the National Historic Landmark designation for the National Archives Building," Archivist of the United States Dr. Colleen Shogan said. "It is a well-deserved distinction for this extraordinary building that is in its own way a treasure, surpassed only by the priceless documents held within it."
On August 16, the National Park Service Advisory Board voted to recommend their approval on the National Historic Landmark nomination for the National Archives Building, along with five other nominees. The board recognized the building’s significance as the first archives built specifically for federal records in the United States and as a masterpiece work of New York–based architect John Russell Pope.
“The National Archives Building had long been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The designation as a ‘Landmark’ further underscores the building's importance as documentation of our nation's architectural history,” said Mark Smith, Executive for Business Support Services. “Much like the archived records it protects, the building itself is recognized for its importance in understanding our country's history.”
The building, designed by Pope, was completed in 1935. Notable milestones over the nearly 90-year history of the building include the almost immediate change to fill the interior courtyard with additional stack space, the arrival of the nation’s founding documents in the 1950s, and a major building-wide renovation in the early 2000s.
These improvements did not alter the essential features or functionality of the building, as it continues to be used for the same purposes for which it was designed and built: as a federal repository for the nation's most valuable records with public research rooms and exhibit hall spaces accessible to all.
“In addition to marking the significance of the building's architecture, the National Historic Landmark designation highlights the property’s national importance as the permanent home of America’s founding documents,” said National Archives Historian Jessie Kratz. “It’s one of the first purpose-built archival facilities in the world, and it serves as a symbol of the permanence of the American federal government, its institutions, and democratic access to its records.”
The National Archives Building joins over 2,600 other National Historic Landmarks but is the only National Archives building with landmark status. The New York office currently occupies space in the landmarked Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House, while the Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Richard Nixon sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Learn more about the National Archives Building on the special topics page dedicated to the building.