DENVER – Some of the most important documents in American history have arrived in Denver.
The Freedom Plane landed at Denver International Airport on Tuesday, carrying nine historic documents pulled directly from the National Archives for a rare traveling exhibit that will make eight stops across the country.
“This is a once-in-a-generation experience,” said National Archives Foundation CEO Patrick Madden. “For us at the National Archives, it is about the original records and saying, ‘How do you take this and make this a human experience, and know it was all people who were coming together around a common idea that has become our nation today?’”
The exhibit includes a William J. Stone engraving of the Declaration of Independence, a draft of the Constitution, a draft of the Bill of Rights, and the Oaths of Allegiance signed by George Washington, Aaron Burr, and Alexander Hamilton – documents that have never traveled outside of Washington, D.C. before this tour.
“What could be more important than these foundational documents that formed our nation?” said History Colorado President and CEO Dawn DiPrince. “To be invited to host these feels like one of the greatest honors that we could ever hope for in our work.”
Before the documents are ready for the public, History Colorado staff face a significant behind-the-scenes challenge to prepare the museum.
“I think a lot of people don’t realize what goes on behind the scenes in the museum,” said Exhibits and Loan Registrar Samantha Stamps-Ten Hoeve. “It’s kind of like an extreme version of Tetris, where there’s so many things going on.”
The preparation includes organizing security, calibrating lighting, and addressing a challenge unique to Colorado’s climate.
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“We did make a plan: in our case, silica gel, because that’s very useful to help raise humidity,” Stamps-Ten Hoeve said.
The exhibit opens Thursday, May 28, and will only be on display for 17 days before moving on to Miami. Admission is free to the public, but tickets must be reserved in advance at HistoryColorado.org.
“To do this on behalf of Coloradans and the Rocky Mountain West is pretty incredible,” DiPrince said.
Madden said the goal of the exhibit goes beyond a history lesson.
“We’re hoping they take a little bit of civic spark from it and say, ‘What is my role in my democracy today, and how do we shape it for the future?” Madden said.
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