Time and touch fade the Declaration's once-crisp text

A Washington Post feature explains that the Declaration of Independence, kept under glass at the National Archives, is increasingly hard to read due to age, humidity and decades of handling. It bears stains, creases and a visible handprint as archivists fight to slow its decline, balancing visible display with conservation to keep the founding document legible while reminding readers that it—like the nation—has endured imperfections.