Rare copy of the US Declaration of Independence to be displayed in London

A rare copy of the United States Declaration of Independence will go on display in London next year as part of an exhibition exploring the birth of the country.

The show at the National Archives in Kew, titled Revolution 250: The Making Of The USA, will include documents such as a rare Dunlap print of the declaration itself, the Tea Act which led to the Boston Tea Party and the Treaty of Paris which ended the American War of Independence when Britain finally recognised the United States of America.

Dunlaps were the first official printings of the Declaration of Independence and were named after John Dunlap, the printer whose name is given at the bottom of each copy.

It is believed that only around 200 Dunlap prints were ever made.

In 2009, one of the documents was found in perfect condition among files at the National Archives by an American antiquarian bookseller carrying out research.

Before the discovery at Kew, a Dunlap print was found at a flea market in 1989 which sold at auction in 2000 for 8.14 million dollars (£6.06 million).

The Dunlap print which will go on display at Kew in May was printed in Philadelphia on July 4 1776.

Dr Sean Cunningham, historian and curator at the National Archives, said: “Revolution 250 will explore two pivotal decades that reshaped the world, tracing the dramatic rise and eventual fall of British power in America.

“At its heart is the Declaration of Independence on July 4 1776 – a moment that changed history.

“Our records reveal the story of the American Revolution, and highlight the personal experiences of so many who had a stake in the fate of British America.”

Three Dunlap prints are held at the National Archives.

Saul Nasse, chief executive at the National Archives, said: “In this momentous year we are excited to be able to showcase the unique documents in our collection to explore the birth of what we now know as the United States of America.”

Ahead of Revolution 250, the archives will open Love Letters – an exhibition exploring 500 years of correspondence on devotion, longing and heartache.

This will include Lord Alfred Douglas’s petition to Queen Victoria pleading for the release of Irish poet and writer Oscar Wilde, along with a letter from Charles Kray written in 1956 defending his gangster songs Ronnie and Reggie and Edward VIII’s Instrument of Abdication.

Steve Burgess, head of events and exhibitions at the National Archives, said: “Love Letters will offer a rare glimpse into personal emotions captured in a government collection – tender, intimate and deeply human.”

Revolution 250: The Making Of The USA opens on May 23 2026 and will run until November 29 2026 at the National Archives in Kew, south-west London.

Love Letters opens on January 24 2026 and will run until April 12 2026 at the same location.