Press Release: Time Capsule Buried at Clinton Presidential Center

A time capsule filled with messages for the future and other items now rests under Celebration Circle, the cul-de-sac leading to the Clinton Presidential Center. The event fell on the same day as President Clinton's 58th birthday.

President Clinton sent a letter for the time capsule, which will be opened in 100 years. It read, “I encourage you, the readers of this message, to work together for a safe, happy, and successful future, and to never stop thinking about tomorrow.”

Future generations will also be able to read a letter from Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton. Over 3,000 other messages from residents in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, were included in the time capsule, along with President Clinton's memoirs My Life, a cell phone, a palm pilot, DVD's, and lists of the top movies, music and books for August, 2004. Also included in the time capsule were items that his foundation staff found useful in their day-to-day work that people, 100 years from now, will surely find intriguing and obsolete.

The time capsule, which is made of stainless steel and weighs 200 pounds, had to be hoisted into a vault under Celebration Circle. The maker of the capsule, Time Capsules Incorporated, said that the capsule’s lifespan is at least 500 years, “Any paper or objects placed into the capsule today will look exactly the same 100 years from now”, said Tom Marak, president of the company.

The event occurred just 91 days before the opening of the Clinton Presidential Center on November 18th.