Magna Carta Encasement

In this Inside the Vaults video short, see Magna Carta housed in a new state-of-the-art encasement, machined at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for the National Archives. The encasement, which sits on a unique cart designed to support the document while on exhibit, is air tight and filled with humidified argon, an inert gas that will not degrade the document. Elaborate instruments continuously monitor conditions within the encasement for humidity and evidence of leaks.

The document is one of only four remaining 1297 originals. It is said to have influenced early American settlers and been an inspiration for the Constitution of the United States.

Inside the Vaults includes highlights from the National Archives in the Washington, DC, area and from the Presidential libraries and regional archives nationwide. These shorts present behind-the-scenes exclusives and offer surprising stories about the National Archives treasures. See more from Inside the Vaults at http://bit.ly/LzQNae.