Students Take Behind-the-Scenes Tour of the National Archives

On Monday, November 4, a group of Gonzaga students as well as Global Exchange Program students from Italy and Spain visited the National Archives Museum with members of the faculty. The group was able to privately tour the building before it opened to the public, and view historical documents including the Constitution, Bill of Rights, Magna Carta, treaties with Italy and Spain, and even the original charter for Gonzaga College, which is housed within the Archives.

Gonzaga recently formalized a partnership with the National Archives Foundation, which will have many benefits for the school community including customizable tours such as this one. These special before-hours tours include facts and stories about the National Archives, buildings, and American history; documents typically overlooked by the average visitor; and information about the design elements and symbols hidden within the grand architecture of John Russell Pope. This partnership offers Gonzaga students a unique opportunity to take advantage of our proximity to national treasures and expand their learning beyond textbooks and the four walls of the classroom. We hope you enjoy these great photos from the first of these tours.