National Postal Museum
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  Location within Washington, D.C. | |
| Established | July 30, 1993 |
|---|---|
| Location | Postal Square Building Washington, D.C. |
| Director | Allen Kane |
| Public transit access |  Union Station |
| Website | www |
- See also The British Postal Museum & Archive, formerly known as the National Postal Museum.
The National Postal Museum, located opposite Union Station in Washington, D.C., USA, was established through joint agreement between the United States Postal Service and the Smithsonian Institution and opened in 1993. The museum is located across the street from Union Station, in the building that once served as the Main Post Office of Washington, D.C. from 1914, when it was constructed, until 1986. The building was designed by the Graham and Burnham [1] architectural firm, which was led by Ernest Graham following the death of Daniel Burnham in 1912.
The museum houses many interactive displays about the history of the United States Postal Service and of mail service around the world. Also on display is a vast collection of stamps. The museum houses a gift shop and a separate stamp shop, along with exhibits on the Pony Express, the use of railroads with the mail, the preserved remains of Owney (the first unofficial postal mascot), and an exhibit on direct marketing called, "What's in the Mail for You," that produces a souvenir envelope with your name printed on it and a coupon for the gift shop. As a Smithsonian museum, admission is free.
Since 2002 the museum has presented the Smithsonian Philatelic Achievement Award every two years. In September 2009, the museum received a $8 million gift from investment firm founder William H. Gross to help finance the expansion of the museum. The museum now hosts the William H. Gross Stamp Gallery named in his honor.[2] The building also serves as the headquarters of the United States Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics as well as a data center for the United States Senate.
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Opening sign for dedication of the National Postal Museum -
Mail-carrying stagecoach at National Postal Museum -
Air-mail plane anchored from the ceiling at the National Postal Museum -
Dead letters exhibit at Postal Museum -
Museum poster extolling value of postal delivery
See also
References
- ^ Weeks, Christopher. (1994) AIA Guide to the Architecture of Washington, D.C. (3rd Edition), Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 0-8018-4713-3.
- ^ "William H. Gross Stamp Gallery". National Postal Museum. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
External links
- United States Postal Service
- Post office buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Washington, D.C.
- Government buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Washington, D.C.
- National Register of Historic Places in Washington, D.C.
- Members of the Cultural Alliance of Greater Washington
- Neoclassical architecture in Washington, D.C.
- American national museums in Washington, D.C.
- Philatelic museums in the United States
- History museums in Washington, D.C.
- Industry museums in Washington, D.C.
- Smithsonian Institution museums
- Smithsonian Institution Archives related
- Postal history of the United States
- Postal museums