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

Eugenie Clark stamp featuring a shark and Eugenie Clark wearing a snorkle
Dive into the story of scientist Eugenie Clark with the National Postal Museum and the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center.
44-cent Northern Kelp Crab stamp
Discover how the topics of fiddler crabs, tropical biodiversity, and the Panama Canal are all connected with this fully bilingual video (English/Spanish).
Giant Panda stamp featuring an illustration of a panda chewing on a branch
Celebrate fifty years of giant pandas at the Smithsonian! Educators from the National Postal Museum and the National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute highlight giant panda facts and history with photos, a children’s book, and postage stamps.
37-cent Pacific Coral Reef pane of ten stamps
Just for Kids! Dive into an underwater exploration with special guest Carol Kaufmann, author of the book Ocean.
Stamp featuring a portrait of Rachel Carson
Explore the life of celebrated environmentalist Rachel Carson with the National Postal Museum and Smithsonian Gardens.

Related Content

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.

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.