The three most important founding documents are located in this one space; you have to visit and see them. The timed-entry tickets will suffice, as they limit the number of visitors in the rotunda at one time. It will still be crowded, but you will get your turn up close and personal with each document. Reminder: it is a "viewing" not a "reading." If you try to stand there and read the entire document they will ask you to move along. Be kind to the other guests; view, soak it in, look for those signatures and great lines/passages, then move to the next. The morning guided tour is the best was to get the most of this site.

It is cool to see old copies of our important national documents and that’s all there is to it. The constitution, declaration, and bill of rights are in the second floor rotunda so go straight there. The text is not legible. Barely noticeable in places. An over 700 years old copy of the Magna Carta is first thing when you get through security on ground floor and is surprisingly good condition for its age. The rest of the exhibits have some interesting preserved documents but nothing compared to the big three in the rotunda. For tourists with a tight schedule, I would skip the Archives or only go if you see a short line. You can reserve a time for $1. The staff give very explicit instructions. They are nice but not to be trifled with. Don’t take your phone out and sneak a picture. Just don’t. It’s a jerk move. Not sure this is a museum kids will appreciate as much as the Smithsonians. An hour is more than enough time if you want to see everything. If line is short then hustle through to rotunda, check out the big three, and be out the door in 20 minutes.