The latest Apple smartphone, an empty Coca-Cola bottle and a diamond from Arkansas were part of a 900-pound (more than 400-kilogram) time capsule laid in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for the 250th anniversary of the United States. As ABC 6 Philadelphia notes, the capsule is planned to be opened no earlier than 2276, that is, in another 250 years.
A burial ceremony for the metal cylinder containing artifacts was held at Independence National Historical Park on July 4th. It was in the city of Philadelphia that the US Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776.
In addition to the orange iPhone 17 Pro Max, which was donated by America Innovates, items for the capsule were sent by all 50 states, federal governments and several other partners of the organizing committee of the US 250th anniversary celebration.
The holiday-themed glass Coca-Cola bottle was donated by the beverage company itself. Inside it were the lyrics to the song “Buy The World a Coke” from a 1970s advert.
A message to Americans… 250 years from now.
A 900-pound time capsule packed with items from all 50 states has officially been sealed ahead of America's 250th birthday.
The capsule, created by the nonpartisan America250 commission, will be buried in Philadelphia on July 4,… pic.twitter.com/WGKkuD9slO— Fox News (@FoxNews) July 3, 2026
Members of the US Supreme Court handed over a pocket Constitution with their signatures. Many states and territories sent letters from their leaders and other textual documents, such as anniversary programs and poems by local poets, for burial.
Arkansas left behind a diamond found in the local park, Crater of Diamonds, in the capsule. A special feature of the reserve is that visitors can keep the jewelry found there. And California, among other items, sent a quantum chip, a cutting-edge processor based on the principles of quantum mechanics, for burial in Philadelphia.
“The time capsule that we will bury today is not just an artifact. This is a message sent through time to the future. It reflects the essence of a nation that continues to push forward, debate, build and expand understanding of the ideals on which it was founded,” Park Superintendent Steve Sims said at the capsule burial ceremony.
