America 250 Seals 900-Pound Time Capsule for July 4 Burial in Philadelphia
Updated
Updated · abcnews.com · Jun 15
America 250 Seals 900-Pound Time Capsule for July 4 Burial in Philadelphia
3 articles · Updated · abcnews.com · Jun 15
Summary
A 900-pound stainless steel capsule has been sealed and shipped to Philadelphia, where it will be buried 10 feet underground on July 4, 2026 and opened in 2276.
A 2016 law creating the nonpartisan America250 commission required the project, and engineers designed the cylinder with airtight, watertight protections to survive centuries underground.
All 50 states, five U.S. territories, D.C. and the three federal branches contributed items, with archival paper dominating submissions alongside objects such as an Arkansas diamond and a Maine whale bone.
Some proposed contents were rejected because they could degrade or rust over time, underscoring the capsule's broader aim: preserving a durable snapshot of the nation's challenges, creativity and optimism for 250 years.