Blasts From The Past: 11 Interesting And Cool Historical Time Capsules

Many of us were granted an opportunity to create a time capsule in high school. It probably didn’t matter as much then, but unearthing it decades later brought a glorious sense of nostalgia and a flood of fond memories.

The items featured on this list are more than just varsity memorabilia and notes passed around in class. Many of these were artifacts dating back to the 1930s that provide tangible fragments of a bygone era. Some are still being preserved for the next century of inhabitants to enjoy.

If you’re a history buff or someone with a deep appreciation for relics and a significant backstory, these images may fascinate you.

11 PHOTOS

#1 At The 1970 Tokyo Expo, They Buried Two-Time Capsules On The Grounds Of Osaka Castle

The First Time Capsule Was Opened In 2000 Before Being Reburied And It Will Then Be Reopened Every 100 Years. This Means Items Can Be Added To Incrementally Show How Culture Has Changed In Japan Through The 21st Century.

#2 Miscellaneous Objects From The Westinghouse Time Capsule Created For The 1964–1965 New York World’s Fair

The Metal Cylinder Was Buried 50 Feet Below The Surface Of The Westinghouse Pavilion Grounds Alongside The Earlier Westinghouse Time Capsule Created For The 1939 World’s Fair. The Two Capsules Were Intended To Survive 5000 Years And Be Opened In The 7th Millennium Ad. A Marker In Flushing Meadow Park In Queens Indicates The Internment Site. Date 1965

#3 Memory Of Mankind (Mom) Is A Preservation Project. The Project Aims To Create The "Time Capsule Of Our Era"

Its main goal is to preserve knowledge about present human civilization from oblivion and collective amnesia. The information is printed on ceramic tablets and stored in the salt mine of Hallstatt, Austria.

Time capsules have been around for nearly 150 years, with the first debuting in 1876. New York Magazine publisher Anna Deihm put together what was then known as a “Century Safe,” which contained 19th-century relics like a gold pen and inkstand, a collection of signatures, and photos of President Ulysses S. Grant.

#4 Time Capsule Holding Some Of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Possessions That Was Lowered Into The Ground In 1988 At Freedom Plaza On Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, D.C

Buried in 1988 at the Freedom Plaza in Washington, D.C., and scheduled to be unearthed in the year 2088. The capsule contains some of Martin Luther King Jr.’s possessions along with audio cassettes people of the 1980s recorded.

#5 Crypt Of Civilization, Considered The First Modern Time Capsule. Photographed In 1939 Before Sealing

#6 Lucasfilm’s 1981 Time Capsule

Forty years ago this month, a special ceremony hosted during the annual July 4th Company Picnic in 1981 sought to commemorate the establishment of Skywalker Ranch itself, which would soon become the official home of Lucasfilm once new buildings finished construction. To officially herald in this new era for Lucasfilm, and to celebrate the company’s 10th anniversary that year, a time capsule was placed into the cornerstone of the Main House building containing several mementos and artifacts representing Lucasfilm’s cultural and merchandising legacy up to that point.

However, the idea of leaving an artifact for posterity has existed for over 5,000 years. According to the University of Victoria, it was first introduced in the Epic of Gilgamesh, which experts consider humanity’s earliest literary work.

The book opens with a set of instructions on locating a box of copper in the foundation stone of the Great Wall of Uruk in Mesopotamia. The box contained the tales of Gilgamesh, which were preserved for future generations. The Epic of Gilgamesh dates back to 2100 B.C.

#7 Time Capsule Found During Construction At Mit

Back in the early stages of construction for MIT.nano, members of the crew stumbled upon something that didn't belong: A time capsule buried in 1957 as part of the dedication to the Compton Laboratories.

#8 The Future Library Project Is A Public Artwork That Aims To Collect An Original Work By A Popular Writer Every Year From 2014 To 2114. The Works Will Remain Unread And Unpublished Until 2114

One thousand trees were specially planted for the project in the Nordmarka forest at its inception;[1] the 100 manuscripts will be printed in limited-edition anthologies using paper made from the trees. The Guardian has referred to it as "the world's most secretive library".

#9 The Samuel Adams And Paul Revere Time Capsule, Also Known As The Massachusetts State House Time Capsule

Is A Time Capsule Located In A Cornerstone Of The Massachusetts State House? It Is Widely Believed To Have Been Buried In 1795 By Then-Governor Samuel Adams And Paul Revere. It Is The Oldest Known Time Capsule In The United States.

Fast-forward to today, when time capsules are more popular than ever. You can find “time capsule kits” on Amazon, ranging from $26 to $68. These capsules are made from stainless steel, waterproof, and anti-corrosion material to ensure they stand the test of time.

“Time capsules have always played a role in preventing collective amnesia, even more so now with the concept of the memory hole,” International Time Capsule Society chair Adrienne Waterman told the Washington Post in a 2022 interview.

#10 Westinghouse Time Capsules

The Westinghouse time capsule was buried to show our Jeston family descendants what life in the 20th century was like. Because it isn’t intended to be opened until the distant, distant future the NY World Fair sent out 300 guidebooks so that the location wasn’t forgotten.

#11 World's Largest Time Capsule

A 45-ton, 20 x 8 x 6-foot concrete vault filled with some 5,000 relics, remembrances and reminders. Dedicated on July 4, 1975, the brainchild of the late Seward writer and historian Harold Davisson is scheduled to open in 2025.