Sleeping with History at the National Archives
George Washington never slept at the National Archives, but your children can. We received the media release below and want to pass the information on to our readers.
Foundation for the National Archives Announces Online Giveaway to Attend Sleepover in National Archives Rotunda
Washington, DC – The Foundation for the National Archives announced today the launch of an online giveaway, providing free tickets to two lucky children (and one grownup chaperone) to attend the “History, Heroes and Treasures†sleepover at the home of the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.
The August 2 sleepover at the National Archives Museum will allow 100 children and parents to engage with Archives records in fun and educational ways and explore the museum before rolling out their sleeping bags to spend the night in the building’s Rotunda.
{default}Tickets to the sleepover, which is open to 8- to 12-year-olds and their parents, are $125 per person ($100 for Foundation members). The Foundation will open registration for the general public on Monday, May 19. An additional sleepover is scheduled for October 2014.
“The Archives’ sleepovers give children a chance to experience something rarely done in history–to spend the night with our nation’s founding documents. At the first sleepover earlier this year, tickets sold out in a matter of days. This year’s additional sleepovers will hopefully give even more young people the chance to experience history in a unique way,†said Patrick M. Madden, executive director of the Foundation. “We encourage families to click, tweet, and post their way through on our new giveaway, earning points for engaging with us on social media and showing their support for the National Archives.â€
Families can enter the giveaway through the Foundation’s website at archivesfoundation.org/sleepover. Additional entries to the giveaway can be earned through social media engagement and by submitting photos via Twitter or Instagram.
This summer’s sleepover theme is “Explorers Night,†and will feature hands-on activities to help young explorers investigate – through music, chats with historical figures, games, and more – some of the greatest adventures of all time. Campers will journey to the Arctic, visit Outer Space, and discover the American West as they explore the National Archives Museum’s treasured records. Guests also will be treated to movies in the museum’s William G. McGowan Theater before turning in for the night, and will enjoy breakfast–including pancakes flipped by Archivist of the United States David S. Ferriero–and more activities the next morning.
Watch a video from the January 25 sleepover and view photos here.
Winners of the sleepover giveaway will be announced on the Foundation’s website and contacted via email before public registration opens.
About the National Archives
The National Archives and Records Administration is an independent Federal agency that serves American democracy by safeguarding and preserving the records of our Government, so people can discover, use, and learn from this documentary heritage. The National Archives ensures continuing access to the essential documentation of the rights of American citizens and the actions of their government. From the Declaration of Independence to accounts of ordinary Americans, the holdings of the National Archives directly touch the lives of millions of people. The agency supports democracy, promotes civic education, and facilitates historical understanding of our national experience. The National Archives carries out its mission through a nationwide network of archives, records centers, and Presidential Libraries, and on the Internet at www.archives.gov.
About the Foundation for the National Archives
The Foundation for the National Archives is an independent nonprofit that increases public awareness of the National Archives, inspires a deeper appreciation of our country’s heritage, and encourages citizen engagement in our democracy. The Foundation generates financial and creative support for National Archives exhibitions, public programs, and educational initiatives, introducing America’s records to people around the U.S. and the world. (archivesfoundation.org)
About the National Archives Museum
The National Archives Museum, created by the National Archives in partnership with the Foundation for the National Archives, has transformed the visitor experience at the National Archives’ Washington, DC, building, and includes the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom, the David M. Rubenstein Gallery and its Records of Rights permanent exhibition, the award-winning Public Vaults permanent gallery, the William G. McGowan Theater, the Lawrence F. O’Brien Gallery for special exhibits, the Boeing Learning Center, the Digital Vaults online exhibit, and the DocsTeach website. These components make the rich resources of the National Archives accessible to Americans nationwide.
