![Boeing 737 in Freedom Plane livery, to be used during the “Freedom Plane National Tour” [Credit: National Archives Foundation]](https://aviationnews.eu/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Boeing-737-in-Freedom-Plane-livery-to-be-used-during-the-Freedom-Plane-National-Tour-Credit-National-Archives-Foundation-777x437.webp)
Aviation News – The US National Archives has unveiled the Freedom Plane National Tour, a traveling exhibition that will carry America’s founding documents to eight cities aboard a specially branded Boeing 737. The initiative aims to make pivotal historical records accessible nationwide as part of the America250 commemoration.
The Boeing 737 will transport an engraved 1823 copy of the Declaration of Independence, the 1774 Articles of Association, and the 1778 Oaths of Allegiance signed by George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and Aaron Burr. Also onboard will be the 1783 Treaty of Paris, a printed 1787 draft of the United States Constitution annotated with handwritten notes, and the 1787 voting records on the Constitution. It will mark the first time these historic documents have ever traveled together.
The project is led by the National Archives in partnership with the National Archives Foundation and draws inspiration from the Bicentennial Freedom Train of the 1970s. For the first time, a collection of historic and consequential documents central to the nation’s founding will travel together, departing from Washington, DC, and touring multiple locations across the country.
Transporting the exhibition by air allows the documents to move efficiently and securely between cities, bolting speed and national reach onto a traditionally static museum experience. The Boeing 737, painted in Freedom Plane livery, provides a controlled environment designed to support the safe movement of irreplaceable materials while symbolizing nationwide connection.
“The Freedom Plane National Tour reflects our mission to bring the records of the American people directly to them,” a National Archives spokesperson said. “This exhibition ensures these documents are not confined to Washington but shared broadly during this historic milestone.”
The tour is expected to engage new audiences and set a precedent for future mobile exhibitions, combining aviation and cultural outreach. Organizers see it as a model for how national institutions can expand public access beyond fixed locations.
By taking to the skies, the Freedom Plane National Tour reinforces the role of aviation as a connector of people, places, and history. As America250 approaches, the initiative highlights how modern air transport can carry the nation’s past into communities across the country.
The “Freedom Plane National Tour: Documents That Forged a Nation” exhibition will visit the following cities:
Kansas City, MO: National WWI Museum and Memorial: Friday, March 6 – Sunday, March 22
Atlanta, GA: Atlanta History Center: Friday, March 27 – Sunday, April 12
Los Angeles, CA: University of Southern California Fisher Museum of Art: Friday, April 17 – Sunday, May 3
Houston, TX: Houston Museum of Natural Science: Friday, May 8 – Monday, May 25
Denver, CO: History Colorado Center: Thursday, May 28 – Sunday, June 14
Miami, FL: HistoryMiami Museum: Saturday, June 20 – Sunday, July 5
Dearborn, MI: Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation: Thursday, July 9 – Sunday, July 26
Seattle, WA: Museum of History & Industry: Thursday, July 30 – Sunday, August 16