Public Vaults

In the Public Vaults, the permanent exhibit in the National Archives Experience, visitors can experience the feeling of going beyond the walls of the rotunda into the stacks and vaults of the National Archives. There are thirteen unique interactive installations throughout each of the five Public Vaults to help visitors connect with the records that define our nation. The first vault, “We the People,” focuses on family and the rights of citizenship. Visitors learn that the National Archives has records not only about important and famous people but also ordinary Americans. The second vault, “To Form a More Perfect Union,” highlights records of liberty and law that illustrate the evolution of our democracy and how records have been used to hold government officials accountable for their actions. “Promote the General Welfare,” the third vault, emphasizes records of firsts and frontiers and shows how the human spirit and ingenuity helped to realize many of the promises of America as envisioned by our founders. The fourth vault, “Provide for the Common Defense,” is about wars and diplomacy, where records from the Revolutionary War through the Persian Gulf War paint a vivid picture of heroism, inspiration, and sacrifice over the decades. The fifth vault, “To Ourselves and Our Posterity,” focuses on the National Archives’ role in keeping our records for future generations.