Featuring Research Volunteer Contributions

International Postal Operations

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Danish mailbox, 1949-1964

Communicating by post is a universal activity that unites people all over the earth. Although the National Postal Museum focuses on the history of the mail in the United States, the collections include many international artifacts. Some of the international objects look very similar to their American counterparts—after all, many aspects of the mail delivery system are the same no matter where you live—but other items are a bit more unusual. While exploring the international artifacts, think about how something as small as a stamp can allow you to keep in touch with someone on the other side of the world.

Allison Marsh, National Postal Museum

Swedish mailbox, mid 20th-early 21st Century

Mail processing is a similar activity around the world. After all, the purpose of...

German mail wagon model

The National Postal Museum’s collection of international artifacts representing...

Universal Postal Union Congress voting device

How does a letter get from here to Timbuktu?

Augsburg postal time table, 1796

The Princely House of Thurn and Taxis operated postal systems in western and central Europe for...