America250 Time Capsule to Contain Thomas Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence Draft and Francis Scott Key’s National Anthem Lyrics
A one gigabyte synthetic DNA storage vial encoded with digital copies of Library collection items alongside a quarter
As part of America’s 250th anniversary celebrations the Library of Congress is adding key historic texts to the America250 Time Capsule
The tiny metal vial will hold synthetic DNA encoded with digital copies from the library’s collections, and will be buried at Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia on July 4, remaining sealed until 2276.
Among items included will be digital copies of:
- Thomas Jefferson’s rough draft of the Declaration of Independence
- The Star-Spangled Banner lyrics written in Francis Scott Key’s hand
- The Codex Quetzalecatzin, an extremely rare Nahuatl manuscript dating from 1570-1595
- handwritten catalogued items of Thomas Jefferson’s library
- the Annals of the Congress of the United States covering congressional proceedings, including the making of the Constitution, from 1789 to 1824
“We are thrilled to contribute top treasures of the Library of Congress’ collections," said Acting Librarian of Congress Robert R. Newlen. “This broad range of collection items represents the Library’s significant holdings today for future generations of Americans.”
The encasement includes a small chip containing decoding instructions, ensuring the synthetic DNA sequence can be reassembled into its original digital data when America’s Time Capsule is opened in 2276.
