100 Objects #1: The Century Safe

Podcast: 99% Invisible (LS 83 · TOP 0.01% what is this?)Episode: 100 Objects #1: The Century SafePub date: 2026-05-19Get Podcast Transcript →powered by Listen411 - fast audio-to-text and summarizationIn 1876, Americans filled an iron safe with objects meant to tell their story — to be opened a century later. Roman Mars and historian Jill Lepore trace its long wait, from Reconstruction to Watergate, and the surprising, unsettling contents that emerged in 1976. What do the objects we choose to preserve — or forget — reveal about how we author our own history? A History of the United States in 100 Objects is a production of 99% Invisible and BBC Studios. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Roman Mars, which is the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Listen Notes, Inc.