Summer Institute for Educators at the National Archives 2026

This summer institute will be held July 27-29, 2026, from 8:30am to 3:30pm at the National Archives Museum in Washington, D.C. The National Archives Foundation welcomes K-12 educators from across the country to apply for this unique opportunity. Our three-day intensive experience is designed to help elementary and secondary educators bring primary source-based activities to their students to increase civic awareness and engagement. Focusing on the Charters of Freedom--the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and Bill of Rights--participants will explore primary sources that trace the history of our nation. This professional development opportunity for K-12 educators will feature: Strategies for teaching with primary sources, using records held by the National Archives. Collaborative learning with a cohort of educators from all across the country. Guided tours and activities in the Rotunda and exhibit spaces of the National Archives Museum in Washington, D.C. Experiential learning opportunities at related D.C. historic sites.