Canadian Postal Museum facts for kids
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| Established | 1971 |
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| Dissolved | 2012 |
| Location | within Canadian Museum of Civilization in Gatineau, Quebec. |
| Type | Postal Museum |
| Canadian Museum of History Corporation network | |
The Canadian Postal Museum (CPM) was a special museum in Gatineau, Quebec. It was part of the Canadian Museum of Civilization. The Smithsonian Museum once called it one of the top five postal museums worldwide. It was even second in how many people visited each year!
This museum wasn't just about stamps, even though it had thousands. It told the bigger story of how mail and messages traveled across Canada. It showed how important postal services were for people and businesses throughout history. It also looked at how mail works around the world.
What the Museum Collected
The Canadian Postal Museum had many cool things! Its collections included a writing desk that belonged to Sandford Fleming. He was the person who designed Canada's very first postage stamp.
The museum also had mailboxes from Canada and other countries. You could see old postal uniforms, mail bags, and rural mailboxes. There were even signs from post offices and equipment used for sorting mail.
One of the most exciting parts was Reflections of Canada: the National Stamp Collection. This collection had an example of every single postage stamp ever made in Canada. Besides showing these items, the museum also worked to find, keep, and explain objects related to Canada's postal history.
Museum's History
The Canadian Postal Museum started in 1971. It first opened its doors to visitors in 1974. Back then, it was called the National Postal Museum.
In 1988, the museum joined the Canadian Museum of Civilization. It changed its name to the Canadian Postal Museum in 1996. Then, in 1997, it moved into a permanent space inside the Museum of Civilization building.
The museum closed in 2012. This happened because the Canadian Museum of Civilization was getting ready to become the Canadian History Museum. The postal collection is now stored and managed by the Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation. This group also looks after the Canadian Museum of Civilization, the Canadian War Museum, and the Canadian Children's Museum.
Some of the postal items will be shown in new history galleries. The national stamp collection, Reflections of Canada, will also be moved to a new gallery. Plus, some traveling exhibits are being created. These will be shown in museums all across Canada. You can also find information about Canadian postal history online on the Museum's website.
Museum Connections
The Canadian Postal Museum worked with several other groups. These included the CMA and the CHIN. It was also connected to the Virtual Museum of Canada. In 2000, it became a member of the Club de Monte-Carlo de l'élite de la philatélie.
