Photos: This was inside a time capsule opened in Tucson
Officials opened the bicentennial time capsule, buried 50 years ago in 1976, and recovered records, books, newspapers and dozens of personal papers, August 20, 2025, at the Tucson Museum of Art. The ceremony was in conjunction with the city's 250th anniversary celebration this week.
Collections Manager/Registrar Rachel Adler holds up a Wednesday August 20, 1976 copy of the Tucson Citizen, one of the dozens of documents, books and mementos found upon opening the bicentennial time capsule buried on he grounds of the Tucson Art Museum, August 20, 2025, Tucson, Ariz. Planning records, magazines, newspapers, city budget and a letter from then mayor L.C. Murphy to the future typed on a sheet of copper. A plastic bag held dozens of small personal documents including theater tickets, driver’s license, a personal check for $2 and a Whata Burger napkin.The items will be on display at the museum in the near term.
Loose dirt from the hole drops on some of the papers still in the container, August 20, 2025, after the opening of the bicentennial time capsule buried on the grounds of the Tucson, Ariz., Art Museum 50 years before.
Some of the dozens of more personal papers stowed in a plastic bag and recovered, August 20, 2025, on the opening of the bicentennial time capsule buried on the grounds of the Tucson, Ariz., Art Museum in 1976.
One of the crowd takes the opportunity to browse through a 1976 phone book, taken from the bicentennial time capsule August 20, 2025, buried on the grounds the Tucson, Ariz., Art Museum 50 years ago.
Constance Treecartin takes a closer look at the documents, books and papers recovered, August 20, 2025, in the opening of the bicentennial time capsule buried in 1976 on the grounds of the Tucson, Ariz., Art Museum.
The letter from former mayor L.C. Murphy to the future citizens of Tucson, Ariz., written on a sheet of of copper and recovered, August 20, 2025, in the opening of the bicentennial time capsule buried in 1976 on the grounds of the Tucson Art Museum.
Observers get close to the array of more formal books, reports, budgets and plans recovered in the opening of the bicentennial time capsule, August 20, 2025, buried on the grounds of the Tucson, Ariz., Art Museum in 1976.
Kelly Presnell
Photojournalist
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