Celebrate

Kansas City Selected as First Stop on National Historic Documents Tour

See America’s founding documents in person this March at the National WWI Museum and Memorial – free admission for all.

Kansas City has been chosen as one of eight sites nationwide to host the National Archives’ “Freedom Plane National Tour: Documents that Forged a Nation,” and Kansas City will serve as the inaugural stop. From March 6-22, 2026, the National WWI Museum and Memorial in Kansas City, Missouri, will host this extraordinary 16-day exhibition featuring documents that shaped the birth of our nation – many of which are leaving Washington, D.C. for the first time in several years. This marks a historic moment for Missouri and the entire Midwest as we commemorate America’s 250th anniversary.

Historic Documents on Display at the National WWI Museum and Memorial

This rare exhibition brings together some of America’s most treasured founding documents:

  • Original Engraving of the Declaration of Independence (1823) – One of only about 50 known engraved copies, commissioned by John Quincy Adams and capturing the exact size, text, and signatures of the original document
  • Articles of Association (1774) – Signed by all 53 delegates of the First Continental Congress, this pivotal agreement urged colonists to boycott British goods
  • Oaths of Allegiance (1778) – Including those signed by George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and Aaron Burr during the Revolutionary War
  • Treaty of Paris (1783) – Signed by John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and John Jay, formally recognizing the United States as an independent nation
  • Secret Printing of the Constitution in Draft Form (1787) – A rare copy with a delegate’s handwritten notes made during the Constitutional Convention
  • Tally of Votes Approving the Constitution (1787) – The voting records reflecting the debates and eventual approval of our Constitution

Free Admission to the Founding Documents Exhibition

Admission to the exhibition is completely free, ensuring all Missourians and Midwest visitors have the opportunity to witness these foundational documents during America’s semiquincentennial celebration.

Mark your calendars: Tickets will become available on February 6, 2026.

Exhibition Details:

  • Dates: March 6-22, 2026
  • Location: National WWI Museum and Memorial, Kansas City, Missouri
  • Admission: Free
  • Ticket Availability: February 6, 2026
For More Information/TIckets

The commission is charged in Senate Concurrent Resolution 7 from 2023 to commemorate events which occurred in Missouri during the Revolutionary War period, such as the Battle of Fort San Carlos that occurred in 1780 along with promoting other celebrations being held in conjunction with the 250th anniversary. We need your assistance to track and promote these events. Please click on the Events tab and add the website or Facebook link along with contact information for an event. This will allow others to see events and participate when possible around the state.