Everything Inside the Nickelodeon Time Capsule and When It Will Be Opened

For those who grew up in the ’90s, you might remember the ad Nickelodeon launched back in the day asking viewers what should be placed inside the time capsule it planned to bury for 50 years. Fans were asked to mail their suggestions to Nickelodeon Studios in Orlando.

Fast forward to 2026, and Nickelodeon reminded everyone about the time capsule in a May 2026 Instagram post, asking followers if they remembered it, captioning the post, “There's a lot to unpack here.”

But don’t get too excited just yet, because Nickelodeon still hasn’t opened the time capsule (more on that below).

In addition to reminding people about it, the post also sparked curiosity about what was put inside it. If you’re looking for a little nostalgia, or are just curious what ’90s kids grew up playing with, keep scrolling as we review the items that made it in.

Before the Nickelodeon time capsule was buried in 1992 at Nickelodeon Studios, some pretty iconic toys and gadgets were placed inside, some of which would probably be worth a fortune today, since many were buried in their original packaging.

The contents include a VHS copy of Home Alone and Back to the Future, CDs, and a Nintendo Game Boy, which was released in 1989. Other items included Reebok Pump sneakers, a jar of Gak (ah!), rollerblades, and an iconic Joey Lawrence hat featuring his famous phrase “Whoa! ’92," according to the NotForgotten Digital Preservation Library.

But wait, there’s more. Inside the Nickelodeon time capsule also sits:

• A Nickelodeon magazine
• News reports from 1991
• Books, including a world atlas, comic book, phone book, and an Orlando TV Guide from the week of April 30, 1992
• A Nicktoons T-shirt featuring The Ren & Stimpy Show
• A Barbie doll
• A skateboard

• Twinkies
• Pencils
• A piece of the Berlin Wall
• Photos of things that were too large (or alive) to fit inside, including bicycles, trains, politicians, celebrities, and cars
• A stick of bubble gum (our guess is Fruit Stripe, because what else deserves a spot in there?)
• A videotape recording of the live time capsule ceremony, reportedly filmed by a girl named Vicky
• The camera used to record the event

The Nickelodeon time capsule is scheduled to be opened on April 30, 2042, exactly 50 years after it was buried on April 30, 1992. The capsule is currently located at the Nickelodeon Animation Studio in Burbank, Calif. But that isn’t where it was initially buried.

The time capsule was first housed at the Nickelodeon Suites Resort after the Kids World Council came together to decide which items deserved a place inside.

It was then buried in front of Nickelodeon Studios at Universal Studios Florida, specifically outside Soundstage 18, according to the NotForgotten Digital Preservation Library.

In 2007, the capsule was moved after the studio shut down. Then, in 2016, it was relocated once again to its current home at the Nickelodeon Animation Studio, which is a five-story glass building located on the corner of Olive and Lake Street.