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The nation's record keeper. Visit: https://visit.archives.gov/ Welcome to the official page for public news and events at the National Archives.

08/24/2026

Sometimes the best inventions begin as a lucky accident!

Naval mechanical engineer Richard T. James accidentally invented the childhood stable toy, the Slinky, in 1943 while working on springs to stabilize ship equipment. He knocked one off a shelf and watched it “walk” down gracefully instead of falling to the floor. James demoed his toy at Gimbels department store in 1945, and sold 400 toys in just 90 minutes!

From a naval experiment to the National Toy Hall of Fame, see the official patent for yourself in The American Story exhibit at the National Archives Museum in Washington, DC, or view the patent in our online Catalog.

Plan your visit: visit.archives.gov.
United States Patent and Trademark Office

08/21/2026

The United States Senate voted on August 7, 2026, to confirm Bradford P. Wilson as Archivist of the United States. Nominated by President Donald J. Trump, Wilson begins his tenure as the head of the National Archives and Records Administration today, August 21, 2026.

Dr. Wilson previously served as the James Wilson Distinguished Visiting Scholar in Civic Thought in the Center for Constitutional Studies at Utah Valley University. In 2024, he retired from his long-time position as Executive Director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions, Lecturer in Politics, and Fellow of Forbes College at Princeton University.

Wilson received his BA from North Carolina State University, his MA from Northern Illinois University, and his PhD in Politics from The Catholic University of America.

Press Release: https://www.archives.gov/press/press-releases/nr26-4

08/20/2026

A map that leads to gold? We’ve got that!

This 1884 map shows the gold mines of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, before Idaho became a state. This is just one of 15 million (and counting!) cartographic and architectural treasures in our holdings.

From historic railroad maps to nautical charts, explore more here: https://www.archives.gov/research/cartographic

08/18/2026

The Freedom Plane National Tour has landed safely back home in Washington, DC! After first taking flight in March and making eight stops across the country, this special exhibition in celebration of has come to a close. Here's a look back at all of the stops made along the way. Thank you to all who visited to see Documents That Forged a Nation and made this nationwide journey such a success!

The Freedom Plane National Tour was made possible in part by the National Archives Foundation, through the generous support of The Boeing Company, Comcast Corporation, Microsoft, and P&G. Additional support was provided by FedEx.

08/17/2026

that the National Archives once used a pneumatic tube system to carry research request slips throughout the building?

During the late 19th and mid-20th centuries, major U.S. cities utilized underground pneumatic tubes to transport mail quickly. Using compressed air, some pneumatic tube canisters could travel at 35 miles per hour and hold up to 600 letters!

The National Archives stopped using the tubes long ago, and many of the remaining ones were removed during a major building renovation in the early 2000s.

08/13/2026

Marquis de Lafayette was instrumental in helping secure France’s alliance during the Revolutionary War.

He was only 19 years old when he joined the Continental Army as a major general and became a member of General George Washington’s staff.

In this letter to John Hancock addressed in 1777, Lafayette writes, “I beg that you will receive yourself and present to Congress my thanks for the Commission Major General in the Army of the United States of America which I have been honor’d with in their name the feelings of my heart, long before it became my duty, engaged me in the love of the American cause I not only consider’d it as the cause of Honor, Virtue, and universal Happiness…”

08/11/2026

While Spider-Man is swinging through NYC on the big screen, he once swung into the National Archives to save our nation’s founding records! 🕷️📜

In Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #325, released on August 8, 1989, Spider-Man traveled to the National Archives to stop The Red Skull from stealing the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.

Marvel Comics Spider-Man Reagan Library

08/10/2026

Happy Birthday, President Hoover! On August 10, 1874, Herbert Hoover was born in West Branch, Iowa. Now, visitors can rediscover the stories of the 31st President and former First Lady Lou Henry Hoover at the reimagined Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum. We were proud to welcome the Hoover family back to West Branch to see the all-new Presidential Library and Museum. Hear their thoughts, and see the Museum for yourself! hoover.archives.gov/visit

The Hoover Presidential Library is one of 16 Presidential Libraries across the National Archives. Learn more: archives.gov/presidential-libraries

08/07/2026

Today is National Purple Heart Day, recognizing service members who have been wounded or killed as a result of enemy action while serving in the U.S. military.

The Purple Heart is the oldest U.S. military decoration, and its roots can be traced back to the American Revolution when General George Washington awarded the ﬁrst purple-colored heart-shaped badges to soldiers who fought in the Continental Army (originally called the Badge of Military Merit).

08/06/2026

Today, after an 18-month renovation, the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum opened its doors with an all-new, completely reimagined immersive museum experience. Congratulations to the Library and Museum staff, the Hoover Presidential Foundation, and all who made this possible! Visitors are encouraged to rediscover the Museum in West Branch, Iowa, open 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. beginning Friday, August 7.

To get tickets, visit hoover.archives.gov/visit.

The Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum is one of 16 Presidential Libraries operated by the National Archives and Records Administration. Learn more: archives.gov/presidential-libraries

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