Located on Capitol Hill next to Union Station, the National Postal Museum is housed in a Beaux Arts-style building designed by Daniel Burnham. From 1914 to 1986, the building was the Washington City Post Office.
In "Moving the Mail," see how a letter gets delivered to obscure places like the bottom of the Grand Canyon and how early airplane pilots found their way cross-country in the dark.
Just off the atrium, view three early mail-carrying airplanes: a 1936 Stinson Reliant, a 1919 de Havilland DH-4B and a 1911 Wiseman-Cooke biplane.
"Victory Mail" (closes March 8, 2010) showcases the museum's collection of World War II V-mail correspondence—letters opened, sorted and copied onto microfilm, then flown to troops overseas.
"Delivering Hope: FDR & Stamps of the Great Depression" (closes June 6, 2010). During the Depression, Franklin D. Roosevelt understood the power of visual imagery and had stamps designed to convey hope, optimism and the strength of the federal government.
Fun for students:
goSmithsonian.com/SIConnections
Study philately and postal operations and see some of the rarest U.S. postage stamps at www.arago.si.edu
Become a member of the National Postal Museum.
The Postal Museum Store has a large selection of books, calendars, postcards and posters.
Although the Postal Museum does not have an on-site café, many Smithsonian museums do.
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