History buffs got their first look Wednesday at a handwritten copy of the Declaration of Independence, penned by Thomas Jefferson himself, now on display at the New York Public Library as part of semiquincentennial celebrations of America’s birth this weekend.

Through July 7, New Yorkers and visitors can reserve free tickets to explore Declaration America, a special exhibition spanning multiple galleries inside the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building. The exhibition showcases 250 treasures from the library’s collections as the nation prepares to mark the 250th anniversary of the United States.

The centerpiece is Jefferson’s handwritten draft of the Declaration of Independence, where the words “United States of America” appear capitalized for the first time.

“At the very top, United States of America is capitalized, perhaps for the first time,” said Anthony W. Marx, President and CEO of the New York Public Library. “Jefferson’s capitalization marks the idea of a single American nation being born, rather than simply a collection of states.”

Beginning July 1, New Yorkers and visitors can reserve free tickets to explore Declaration America, a special exhibition spanning multiple galleries inside the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building. Photo by Dean Moses

For 22-year-old Genevieve Barbee, seeing Jefferson’s handwritten draft was the perfect way to celebrate her birthday.

“I love everything about the founding era, and I hope to work in preservation and archival studies,” she said. “This is the perfect opportunity to see a document like this firsthand.”

Barbee traveled from Nassau County on Long Island after seeing the event promoted on the New York Public Library’s social media. A student at Cornell University minoring in American history, she said the exhibition felt like the perfect way to commemorate 250 years of American history.

The exhibition features 250 artifacts tracing the nation’s evolving story, including Benjamin Franklin’s letter to George Washington announcing that the Declaration of Independence was being prepared; U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith’s erasure poem Declaration; colorful Revolutionary War-era maps of New York showing troop positions and colonial street names; a rare silk banner carried by anti-slavery activists celebrating the abolition of slavery in Great Britain in 1834; and a “Civil Rights Now!” pennant from the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.

Anthony W. Marx, President and CEO of the New York Public Library.Photo by Dean Moses

Marx said the exhibition is intended to spark reflection on the country’s founding ideals and the ongoing pursuit of democracy.

“We want all New Yorkers, and everyone visiting from around the world, to think about how audacious this document is, how uncertain the outcome was, and how Americans have spent the last 250 years debating how to live up to its aspirations,” Marx said. “Sometimes we’ve failed, often we’ve made progress, but the Declaration set that process in motion. It is the founding document of a country we love, with all of its strengths and all of its flaws.”

The New York Public Library will be closed July 3 through July 5. Declaration America will reopen afterward, with its final day on July 7. To view the exhibit, visit nypl.org.

At the very top, United States of America is capitalized, perhaps for the first time,” said Anthony W. Marx, President and CEO of the New York Public Library. “Jefferson’s capitalization marks the idea of a single American nation being born, rather than simply a collection of states.”Photo by Dean Moses Celebrate America’s birthday with a free exhibition at the New York Public Library that explores the story of the American Revolution and offers a rare public viewing of Thomas Jefferson’s handwritten copy of the Declaration of Independence from July 1 through July 7.Photo by Dean Moses