Special Exhibit
Opening the Vault
An extraordinary collection of rare and historic documents from the National Archives as part of its “Opening the Vault at the Presidential Libraries” series.
September 9, 2026 - October 14, 2026
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum
Included with Museum admission
About The Exhibit
Original documents that helped shape the American story
The Statue of Liberty Deed of Gift
This colorfully illustrated document deeded and presented "Liberty Enlightening the World" to the United States on July 4, 1884.
Patent 821393 - Flying Machine
On March 23, 1903, Orville and Wilbur Wright filed a patent for a "Flying-Machine."
Treasury warrant for the purchase of Alaska
With this warrant issued by the U.S. Treasury, the United States purchased Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million.
The Louisiana Purchase
In this transaction with France, signed on April 30, 1803, the United States purchased 818,000 sq. miles of land west of the Mississippi River for $15 million. For Roughly four cents an acre.
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History is coming out of the vault.
For a very limited time, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum will open the doors to an extraordinary collection of rare and historic documents from the National Archives and Records Administration as part of its “Opening the Vault at the Presidential Libraries” series.
These aren’t reproductions or textbook illustrations. They are the original documents that helped shape the American story.
Visitors will have the rare opportunity to see firsthand extraordinary pieces of our nation’s history, including:
The Louisiana Purchase
The Bill of Rights — Senate Revisions
The 14th Amendment Draft
The 1854 Kansas-Nebraska Act
The 1820 Missouri Compromise
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
The Treaty of Paris Broadside
The Alien and Sedition Acts
The Statue of Liberty Deed of Gift
The Treasury Warrant for the Purchase of Alaska
The Judgment in Plessy v. Ferguson
Dred Scott v. John Sandford
The 1954 Brown v. Board of Education
From the expansion of the United States to the ongoing struggle to define freedom, equality and citizenship, these documents offer a remarkable window into the decisions, debates and turning points that shaped the nation.
Don’t miss this rare opportunity to see American history up close. Once these documents return to the vault, they’re gone!
Credits & Copyright
Plan Your Visit
Ronald Reagan Presidential Library & Museum
Hours
Mon – Sun: 10am - 5pm
Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day
