time capsule opened

A time capsule is opened at a particular building or site when a cache of interesting artifacts buried or enclosed within is actually (or scheduled to be) unearthed, unlocked, or otherwise revealed to a subsequent generation. The purpose is generally to form a kind of ceremonial communication between distant time periods.

Time capsules are often marked by informative plaques indicating the date they were sealed as well as the date they are scheduled to be opened.

The opening reveals the cache to the later generation for which it was preserved. The date can describe an actual opening or the scheduled occasion, while the earlier sealing remains a separate event.