In the historic City Post Office Building at 2 Massachusetts Ave NE, the Smithsonian National Postal Museum traces mail and stamp history from colonial times to the present. It is beside Union Station, making it an easy stop if you are already in the area. Inside, explore the William H. Gross Stamp Gallery, postal vehicles and hands-on displays about how letters and parcels travelled. Children can try activities such as designing stamps, while the postal police exhibit and wartime mail displays add depth for history-minded adults. Admission is free.
A former post office with a postal story
The museum is housed in the historic City Post Office Building, constructed in 1914. It served as Washington’s post office until 1986, before becoming home to the National Postal Museum. The museum opened in 1993 through a partnership between the Smithsonian Institution and the United States Postal Service.
Its subject reaches well beyond stamp collecting. Exhibits follow the development of mail in the United States from colonial times to the present, showing how people and communities stayed connected as delivery methods changed. Displays also cover postal history beyond the United States.
Stamps, design and collecting
The William H. Gross Stamp Gallery is the museum’s major space for philately, the study and collection of stamps. Its displays include more than 20,000 objects, with rare and historically significant examples. Among them is the Inverted Jenny, a well-known stamp whose printed airplane appears upside down.
The collection gives stamp design its own place in the story. Stamps document people, events and aspects of culture, while the exhibits explain their production and appeal to collectors. Interactive displays let visitors explore the subject through activities, including making a personal stamp design. The gallery is useful whether you collect stamps or simply want to see how much history can fit into a small printed image.
How mail travelled
The museum’s transport displays show the practical work behind delivery. Exhibits cover routes and vehicles used to carry mail, including stagecoaches, carriages, steamboats and trains. A railway mail car and historic mail vehicles help explain how sorting and transport worked before modern delivery systems.
Other displays follow mail through different periods, including the First and Second World Wars. A section on postal law enforcement examines financial and postal crimes. Together, these galleries give the subject a wider scope than stamps alone, connecting transport, technology and the daily operation of the postal service.
A hands-on visit for families
Children can take part in activities that bring postal work to life. Depending on the exhibit, they can design stamps, sort packages, explore postal games or climb aboard a mail vehicle. The museum also has displays about the Railway Mail Service mascot, Owney the dog.
Plan to explore both exhibition floors, including the upper-level stamp gallery. A third level has a dining and rest area with tables and chairs, useful for taking a break before continuing. An on-site post office has been reported as operating, and a complimentary postcard has been available to visitors; check on site if sending mail is part of your plan.
Häufige Fragen
Is the National Postal Museum free?
Yes. Admission is free.
Do you need tickets in advance?
Advance reservations are not required; walk-in visits are welcome.
How long should you spend at the museum?
Set aside about two to three hours to explore the galleries and interactive displays.
How do you get to the National Postal Museum?
The museum is at 2 Massachusetts Ave NE, next to Union Station. The station is served by the Red Line.
