National Postal Museum

Activity Overview

Learn about the history of stamps and the postal system at the National Postal Museum, the Smithsonian's first class repository for the largest, most comprehensive collection in the world, including almost 6 million objects. The National Postal Museum is located in the old Post Office building next to Union Station in Washington, D.C.

Things to Do

The museum has family-friendly events throughout the year, including a "must-do" stamp collecting program.

Docent-led tours are an excellent way to see the highlights of the National Postal Museum. Guided tours can be scheduled in advance for groups of 10 or more visitors. Self-guided tours, student tours, and guided tours for walk-in visitors are also available. You can download a self-guided tour map here.

The National Postal Museum is divided into galleries that explore America's postal history from colonial times to the present. Visitors will learn how mail has been transported, the importance of letters, and spotlight the creation and incredible diversity of postage stamp art.

Interested in visiting? You may enjoy this a virtual tour to help you get the lay of the land before you go.

Once you've visiting, you may be inspired to start up a hobby of stamp collecting. The Museum has a number of great resources on how to start up with this fun and interesting hobby.

National Postal Museum Insider Tips

• The Museum is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., except December 25.
• Admission is free.
• Free public wireless Internet access (Wi-Fi) is available throughout the Museum galleries.
• The Museum is located right next to Union Station - a great place to grab lunch with lots of options.