America250 selects items for time capsule to be opened in 2276

America250, the nonpartisan group organizing the country's semiquincentennial, announced the contents of a time capsule that will be sealed July 4 and buried at Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia. The capsule is scheduled to be reopened in 2276.

Items contributed by every state, the District of Columbia, five U.S. territories, the federal government, and several companies and institutions will be included.

Items from the states An Arkansas diamond, a whale bone from Maine, a New Mexican bolo tie, and an iPhone 17 Pro Max are among the objects selected. Several states also contributed commemorative coins, letters from state leaders, and poems. California submitted a written prediction generated by Claude artificial intelligence describing the state 250 years from the burial date.

New Mexico added a resident's recipe card for baking the state cookie, the biscochito. West Virginia included the winning essay from a statewide student contest, written by a Morgantown High School student. Louisiana, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands each contributed traditional necklaces or pendants.

Puerto Rico added a rosary, and Utah included a gold medal featuring George Washington's Lord's Prayer.

Contributions from organizations and institutions Coca-Cola, Apple, national sports leagues, the Smithsonian Institution, the Library of Congress, and the Supreme Court also supplied items. A Coca-Cola bottle, a 2026 Olympic gold medal, and the starting lineup card from the Philadelphia Phillies' 2026 Opening Day game against the Texas Rangers will be stored inside.

All 11 living past and present Supreme Court justices signed a pocket Constitution for the capsule. Workers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology sealed the capsule last week.