time capsule

American  

noun

1. a receptacle containing documents or objects typical of the current period, placed in the earth or in a cornerstone for discovery in the future.

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time capsule British  

noun

1. a container holding articles, documents, etc, representative of the current age, buried in the earth or in the foundations of a new building for discovery in the future

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Etymology

Origin of time capsule

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

The ice cream shop was like a time capsule with shiny red booths, waitresses dressed in pink dresses and aprons, and a jukebox in the corner.

From Literature

Visiting the wall today feels like stepping into a time capsule when posting on social media felt fun and low-stakes.

From Los Angeles Times

These tiny mineral fragments act like geological time capsules, preserving evidence of how sediments moved across Britain over millions of years.

From Science Daily

Since they were introduced in the 19th century, America’s amusement parks have acted as time capsules for the young country’s cultural history.

From The Wall Street Journal

That these films now look so striking and preserve, as if in time capsules, both Paris and less urban Gallic precincts only increases their worth.

From The Wall Street Journal