No other museum possesses the breadth, depth, and historical value of stamps as does the Smithsonian National Postal Museum. In the past century, the national collection in the Smithsonian’s care has grown from a handful of rare stamps to over six million valuable objects. The National Postal Museum’s collection contains prestigious U.S. and international postal issues and specialized collections, archival postal documents, and three dimensional objects that trace the evolution of the postal services.
The National Postal Museum continues to build on the Smithsonian’s history of national stewardship of stamps and the National Postal Museum’s tradition of exhibition excellence and public engagement. The new stamp gallery adds 12,000 square feet of exhibit space to the existing museum and gives visitors direct access to the museum from Massachusetts Avenue. In addition to the philatelic exhibits, it features two new education spaces, the Byrne Education Loft and the EdLab Innovation Center.
The William H. Gross Stamp Gallery educates and inspires people of all ages through exhibits that feature stamps as a window to the American experience, emphasizing the ways stamps and mail have had an impact on every American’s life.
Through the authoritative display of stamps, mail, and related objects, and supported by a National Postal Museum online research tool, the William H. Gross Stamp Gallery provides a dynamic visitor experience and positions the museum as the national and international center of philately.
