The National Archives Building
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"The importance of a building to contain permanent records of the National Government, its . . . association with the . . . monuments of Washington, and its unique and prominent site . . . dictate the design, style, and character of the building." --John Russell Pope, September 21, 1934. |
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Location
The neoclassical revival National Archives Building is located half-way between the White House and the Capitol on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, DC. It occupies two full city blocks. The address is 700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20408.
Measurements
Length: 330 feet (from 7th Street to 9th Street)
Width: 213 feet (from Pennsylvania Avenue to Constitution Avenue)Height: 166 feet
Details
Columns: The National Archives Building has 72 Corinthian columns that are each 53 feet high, 5 feet 8 inches in diameter, and weigh 95 tons.
Doors: Two bronze doors that each weigh 6 1/2 tons and measure 38 feet 7 inches high, almost 10 feet wide, and 11 inches thick guard the Constitution Avenue entrance.
Sculptures: Four large sculptures, representing the Future, the Past, Heritage, and Guardianship sit on pedestals near the entrances. Additional sculptures are in the pediments and medallions.
Paintings: Two murals by Barry Faulkner depicting scenes of the presentation of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution are in the Rotunda.
Inscriptions:
On the west side of the building:
The glory and romance of our history are here preserved in the chronicles of those who conceived and
builded [sic] the structure of our nation.
On the east side of the building:
This building holds in trust the records of our national life and symbolizes our faith in the permanency of our national institutions.
On the south side of the building:
The ties that bind the lives of our people in one indissoluble union are perpetuated in the archives of our government and to their custody this building is dedicated.
Beneath the pediments on both sides of the building:
Archives of the United States of America
Materials
The National Archives Building is made of light gray granite and limestone.
Storage Space
The National Archives Building contains 757,000 square feet of storage space.
National Archives Buildings Outside of Washington, DC
The National Archives Building in Washington, DC, is one of many that house the National Archives and Records Administration. Other facilities include the National Archives at College Park, Maryland; Presidential Libraries; and the Regional Records Services Facilities.
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