The Freedom Plane Tour Comes to The Henry Ford in Dearborn

The Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn will host the Freedom Plane National Tour from July 9 through July 26, displaying nine historic documents from the National Archives related to America's founding. The exhibition includes the Original Engraving of the Declaration of Independence, the Treaty of Paris signed by John Adams and Benjamin Franklin, the Constitution in draft form with delegates' handwritten notes, and other consequential documents rarely shown to the public. This is part of the museum's America: 250 Years in the Making celebrations.

The free exhibit requires reservations and is expected to draw between 18,000 and 21,000 visitors based on attendance at other museums on the tour. The Boeing 737 Freedom Plane — painted in red, white, and blue — will deliver the documents to Detroit, though the plane itself won't be on display. According to organizers, this represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity, as the full collection of documents has never been displayed together anywhere, even in Washington D.C.