History Takes Flight: The “Freedom Plane” Lands in Houston This Week

History Takes Flight: The “Freedom Plane” Lands in Houston This Week

The National Archives’ “Freedom Plane” brings original 250-year-old founding documents to the Houston Museum of Natural Science for a limited engagement.

HOUSTON — History is literally landing at our doorstep. As part of America’s 250th-anniversary celebrations, the National Archives and Records Administration has launched the “Freedom Plane National Tour: Documents That Forged a Nation,” a historic journey transporting the nation’s original founding documents across the country.

Starting Saturday, May 9, Houstonians will have the rare opportunity to see these artifacts in person at the Houston Museum of Natural Science (HMNS). This isn’t a collection of replicas; these are the genuine records fundamental to America’s founding, leaving the National Archives together for the first time in history.

What to See

The exhibition features a “who’s who” of American history, including:

• The Treaty of Paris (1783): The actual document that formally recognized the United States as an independent nation.

• George Washington’s Oath of Allegiance: The original oath signed by Washington in 1778 while serving as Commander-in-Chief.

• Draft Constitution of 1787: A rare copy featuring handwritten notes made by a delegate during the Constitutional Convention.

• Original Engraving of the Declaration of Independence (1823): One of only about 50 known copies commissioned by John Quincy Adams to capture the original document’s signatures and text.

“As our nation approaches its 250th anniversary, there is no more fitting tribute than bringing these original documents… directly to the American people,” says Joel Bartsch, President and CEO of HMNS.