August 22, 1997

Contact:
Yvonne French (202) 707-9191

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Media Advisory: Tickets No Longer Required for American Treasures

Beginning September 2, visitors will no longer need tickets for the "American Treasures of the Library of Congress" exhibition as the tourist season winds down for the winter. Timed-entry tickets have been available free at the door since the exhibition opened May 1.

"American Treasures of the Library of Congress" is an unprecedented permanent exhibition of the rarest and most significant items from the Library relating to America's past. Drawn from every corner of the world's largest library, it is the first time that the treasures have been assembled on such a grand scale.

The "American Treasures" exhibition showcases 240 items. It includes rare books, music, manuscripts, maps, photographs, drawings, audio selections and video clips. Among them are one of the earliest baseball cards; the contents of Abraham Lincoln's pockets on the night he was shot; and a photograph of the Wright brothers' first flight taken at the instant of takeoff. George Mason's Virginia Declaration of Rights (May 1776), which was the basis for the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Bill of Rights, will be featured in the rotating exhibition beginning September 7. In the interest of preservation, many of the items in the exhibition will change from time to time.

The exhibition was made possible by a grant from the Xerox Foundation.

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PR 97-135
8/20/97
ISSN 0731-3527