National Postal Museum Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
National Postal Museum

National Postal Museum in 2008
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Established	July 30, 1993 (1993-07-30)
Location	Postal Square Building Washington, D.C., U.S.
Public transit access	at Union Station Amtrak/MARC/VRE at Washington Union Station

The National Postal Museum is a cool place in Washington, D.C. It's the main museum in the United States that focuses on mail and its history. You can learn all about how mail has been delivered in the U.S. and other countries. The museum was created by the United States Postal Service and the Smithsonian Institution. It first opened its doors in 1993.

About the Museum Building
What You Can See Inside
Museum Awards
Gallery
See also

About the Museum Building

The museum is located in a special building called the Postal Square Building. This building used to be the main post office for Washington, D.C. for many years. It was built in 1914 and served as a post office until 1986.

The building was designed by a famous architecture company. Today, other important offices are also in this building. It's right across the street from Washington Union Station, a big train station.

What You Can See Inside

The museum has lots of interesting things to explore!

Mail Delivery Vehicles

In the main area, called the atrium, you can see real vehicles that delivered mail. These include airplanes, trains, and cars. It's like a journey through time to see how mail traveled!

History of Mail

There are exhibits that show how the postal service started and grew. You can learn about its important role in big national events. For example, how mail helped during World War II.

How Mail Works

The "Systems at Work" section shows you the technology used to sort and deliver mail. You can see old tools like message boxes. You'll also learn about modern things like ZIP codes and scanners.

Stamp Collections and More

The museum is home to the National Philatelic Collection. This is a huge collection of stamps! There's also a gift shop where you can buy souvenirs. You can even buy stamps at a special sales window. The best part is, it's free to get in!

Famous Stamp Collections

In 2005, the museum got the stamp collection of John Lennon. He was a famous singer from The Beatles. From June 2015 to December 2019, the museum showed the 1856 British Guiana 1c magenta. This is the most valuable stamp in the world! It sold for almost $10 million.

In 2009, a person named William H. Gross gave the museum $8 million. This money helped make the museum even bigger. A special stamp gallery is named after him.

Museum Awards

Since 2002, the museum has given out an award every two years. It's called the Smithsonian Philatelic Achievement Award. This award honors people who have done great things in the world of stamps.