Illuminating the National Archives Building – Pieces of History

Seventy years ago, the National Archives Building’s exterior was illuminated for the very first time. 

While several other Washington, DC, landmarks were illuminated, the National Archives Building stood dark every night for the first 19 years it was open. Although John Russell Pope, the building’s architect, had made plans for exterior lighting, a lack of funds prevented the National Archives from being lit. It was not until 1954 that funds became available to turn on the 280 exterior built-in light bulbs to light up the structure.

The first-ever illumination of the National Archives coincided with the American Legion’s National Convention in Washington, DC, in August of 1954. A brief test lighting occurred on August 28, with the official ceremony on the evening of August 29. 

The ceremony took place on the Constitution Avenue steps. It was preceded by a drill team exhibition and began with music by the United States Army Band and an honor guard posting of the colors.

Archivist of the United States Wayne C. Grover presided over the ceremony. He had advocated for the lights because he believed they symbolized the light Americans derived from the building’s precious contents, including the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights.

General Services Administrator Edmund Mansure gave a brief address, saying that lighting the National Archives for the first time was “a fitting symbol of patriotism” with which to begin the American Legion National Convention.

National Commander of the American Legion Arthur J. Connell also gave remarks, then flipped the switch to light the structure. Unfortunately, nothing immediately happened, prompting Mansure to jokingly ask into the microphone, “What’s the matter, hasn’t the National Archives paid its light bill yet?” The delay was brief though, and the lights came on, thus putting the final piece of Pope’s vision for the National Archives Building into place.

Since then, in addition to its regular exterior lights, the National Archives Building has been illuminated in various colors for special occasions and commemorations. For instance, the building gets decked out in red, white, and blue lightning on July 4th, our biggest holiday. 

Other recent commemorations include the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment in 2019, when the building was illuminated in purple and gold—the colors used to represent the woman suffrage movement. In 2022, to show solidarity with Ukraine, the National Archives Building was illuminated in yellow and blue, the colors of the national flag of Ukraine.

Learn more about the history of the National Archives Building on our website.