Washington, D.C. —
In a historic first, several foundational American documents are traveling by air to cities across the country aboard a dedicated aircraft, giving communities outside the capital a rare opportunity to view them in person.
The tour launched Monday from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, with its first stop in Kansas City, Missouri. The multi-city journey runs through mid-August.
The collection includes a historic engraving of the Declaration of Independence, Oaths of Allegiance signed by George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and Aaron Burr, and the Treaty of Paris that formally ended the Revolutionary War.
National Archives officials emphasized that the documents — normally secured in protected vaults in Washington — are traveling under strict preservation and security protocols.
The aircraft, a Boeing 737-7BC manufactured in 2000, is owned by Boeing, which partnered with the National Archives for the tour. The effort is a modern nod to the 1976 Freedom Train that carried historic documents nationwide during the Bicentennial.
Organizers say the tour is designed to bring America’s founding story directly to local communities during this milestone celebration.
Freedom Tour Schedule:
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Kansas City, MO — National WWI Museum and Memorial
Friday, March 6 – Sunday, March 22 -
Atlanta, GA — Atlanta History Center
Friday, March 27 – Sunday, April 12 -
Los Angeles, CA — University of Southern California Fisher Museum of Art
Friday, April 17 – Sunday, May 3 -
Houston, TX — Houston Museum of Natural Science
Friday, May 8 – Monday, May 25 -
Denver, CO — History Colorado Center
Thursday, May 28 – Sunday, June 14 -
Miami, FL — HistoryMiami Museum
Saturday, June 20 – Sunday, July 5 -
Dearborn, MI — Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation
Thursday, July 9 – Sunday, July 26 -
Seattle, WA — Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI)
Thursday, July 30 – Sunday, August 16