Overview
- The capsule is a 3-foot-by-2-foot, multi-layer stainless steel cylinder capped by a bell-jar to create a protective air pocket against moisture.
- Designers chose a round form after durability concerns with box-shaped capsules, with NIST engineers calling water the primary threat over centuries underground.
- Contents will draw from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, five territories, the three branches of the federal government, students, and America250 events, with state and territory submissions due by March 15.
- A replica goes on display April 1 at the White House Visitor Center, with visitor letters considered for inclusion, and the actual capsule will be exhibited in Philadelphia in late June.
- The project was mandated by Congress in 2016, and once buried at Independence National Historical Park, the National Park Service will assume long-term custody until the planned 2276 opening.