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Earth Day and Earth Month

Topical Reference Page

Earth Day stamp featuring two human hands holding the Earth in space — Earth Day stamp, 1999

Every year Earth Day is celebrated globally on April 22 — and Earth Month is celebrated all April long — to raise awareness of the planet's health and to promote environmental education. In observance of Earth Day and Earth Month, the museum created this compilation of stories, exhibitions, and collection objects related to nature and the environment that are available on the museum's website.

Image: 33-cent Earth Day stamp

1-cent John James Audubon single

About U.S. Stamps - American Scientists

Exhibition

2-cent Arbor Day boy and girl planting a tree single

About U.S. Stamps - Arbor Day Issue

Exhibition

painting of a Cactus Wren sitting next to a Saguaro Cactus Blossom

Art of the Stamp - Arizona: Cactus Wren and Saguaro Cactus Blossom

Exhibition

15k surcharge on 5000r stamp of Mount Ararat stamp

International Philately - Armenia

Exhibition

painting of a Fulvous Whistling Duck

Artistic License

July 1, 2004 - July 10, 2006

Exhibition

This exhibition explored the history of rare and collectible Federal Duck Stamps created as a result of this extraordinary conservation program.

2s Mountain Scene stamp

International Philately - Austria

Exhibition

Washington Monument and cherrie trees along the Tidal Basin

Beautiful Blooms - Beautification of America

Exhibition

stamp art painting featuring several flowers in blooms

Beautiful Blooms

October 20, 2017 - July 14, 2019

Exhibition

Flowering Plants on Stamps
This exhibition highlighted the variety of flowering plants commemorated on US postage stamps during the past 50 years and explored artistic themes that emerged during this period.

50 franc Hippopotamus stamp, Benin

International Philately - Benin

Exhibition

4nu Collared Bear stamp

International Philately - Bhutan

Exhibition

Illustration of a Robin on a tree branch

Beautiful Blooms - Birds in the Garden

Exhibition

2c Lake Titicaca stamp

International Philately - Bolivia

Exhibition

Related Blogs

Stamp artwork with Jefferson Memorial and cherry tree branches

“Beautiful Blooms: Flowering Plants on Stamps” Opens Tomorrow!

10.19.2017

The museum is pleased to announce the opening of its newest exhibition “Beautiful Blooms: Flowering Plants on Stamps."

Learn more About “Beautiful Blooms: Flowering Plants on Stamps” Opens Tomorrow!

Front of scorched Kilauea postcard, postmarked March 12, 1913.

Volcanic Activities: Tourism and Scorched Postcards at Hawaii’s Kilauea Caldera

09.05.2017

This temporary exhibition features a variety of objects that narrate the century-long relationship between the National Park Service and the United States Postal Service, including two postcards that have been scorched in the fissures of Hawaii’s Kilauea Volcano.

Learn more About Volcanic Activities: Tourism and Scorched Postcards at Hawaii’s Kilauea Caldera

Ansel Adams in Yosemite National Park, circa 1950.

Conserving Ansel Adams’ Stamp Album

10.05.2016

The National Postal Museum’s newest exhibition “Trailblazing: 100 Years of Our National Parks” is filled with amazing artifacts telling the story of our National Parks and its relations to the history of the United States Postal Service and philately. One of the objects chosen for the exhibition is the stamp album once belonging to famous photographer, Ansel Adams. Because of Adams’ portrayal of the natural world and National Parks in his photographs, having his stamp collection in the “Trailblazing” exhibition was a great fit. The curators wanted to display the album open to show the colorful and expressive array of stamps Adams had collected; but, before that could be done, the album needed conservation treatment.

Learn more About Conserving Ansel Adams’ Stamp Album

About twenty horse and stagecoaches in a line.

Only Rural Carriers Can Prevent Forest Fires

06.21.2012

Without fail, this time of year finds forest fires cropping up around the country. It is the case this year, as it was the case 100 years ago when Postmaster General Hitchcock offered the services of his Department to the Agricultural Department and its teams of forest rangers.

Learn more About Only Rural Carriers Can Prevent Forest Fires

Related Content

A woman holds up a plastic container in front of her face. The container holds a juvenile salmon.

Celebrating Earth Month

Join us during Earth Month in April—and throughout the year—to marvel at the beauty and diversity of our natural world. Learn about the challenges facing life on our planet—and our successes. Get inspired to be a part of building a sustainable future where life on Earth thrives.

33 cent Earth Day Celebrated stamp with illustration of human hands holding the Earth

Earth Day-Related Objects in Smithsonian Collections

Take a look at posters, buttons, stamps, and other environmental objects from Smithsonian Institution museum collections.

Green Ways to Move the Mail: A Challenge for the New Century

Symposium, Thursday, March 20, 2008 at the National Postal Museum (YouTube)

This discussion with expert panelists from the National Postal Museum, the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, the United States Postal Service (USPS) and the Ford Motor Company focused on the environmental challenges of moving the mail. With a fleet of over 200,000 vehicles driving more than 1.2 billion miles each year, the USPS is poised to make changes that will have a dramatic impact on the environment. Panelists topics and subsequent discussion focused on practical and immediate solutions.

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