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Smithsonian sunburst Smithsonian National Postal Museum
  • Visit
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    Visit »

    Open daily 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

    Admission is always free!

    2 Massachusetts Ave., N.E.
    Washington, DC 20002

    The museum's main entrance is located on the corner of First Street and Massachusetts Avenue NE. Other entrances have variable hours.

    street map of Postal museum

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Oddly Interesting
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  • Oddly Interesting
  • Things That Carried the Mail
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Things That Carried the Mail

Containers of various materials, shapes and sizes have been used over the centuries to keep pieces of mail flying away. Among the museum's collections are odd containers created for quite ordinary services, as well as odd looking containers for some very unusual mail services.

Rural letter carrier's handmade sorting bag
Do-It-Yourself Mail Sorter

Learn more About Do-It-Yourself Mail Sorter

Tin can mailbox
A Floating Mailbox

Learn more About A Floating Mailbox

Airmail pickup canister
Watch Out Below!

Learn more About Watch Out Below!

Regulus 1 missile mail container
Cruise Missile Mail

Learn more About Cruise Missile Mail

  • Español

Oddly Interesting

  • Things That Carried the Mail
    • Do-It-Yourself Mail Sorter
    • A Floating Mailbox
    • Watch Out Below!
    • Cruise Missile Mail
  • Things That Marked the Mail
    • A Pirate Postmaster?
    • Mangling the Mail to Save It
    • A Baker's Touch
    • The Chicken Stamp
  • Things That Traveled in the Mail
    • A Dead Egg
    • Mail That Falls from Trees
  • What the Well Dressed Carrier Wears
    • Keeping Warm
    • The Postman Always Knocked Twice
    • Leather Face
  • Animals and the Mail
    • Buzzing Through the Mail
    • Mail Clerks Are a Dog's Best Friends
  • Conclusion
  • Outline
‹ Oddly Interesting up Do-It-Yourself Mail Sorter ›

HomeSmithsonian National Postal Museum

Visit »

Open daily 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Admission is always free!

2 Massachusetts Ave., N.E.
Washington, DC 20002

The museum's main entrance is located on the corner of First Street and Massachusetts Avenue NE. Other entrances have variable hours.

street map of Postal museum

Learn more
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Owney, the Railway Mail Service Mascot

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