Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum supporters get behind the scenes and close access to museum staff, projects and exhibitions through various virtual talks and discussions.
In the wake of the coronavirus many people now realize the importance of communicating. Americans, more than ever, are now relying on the mail to help maintain a sense of normalcy, to stay in touch with friends and family, and to receive essential goods. The museum’s vast collection allows us to highlight similar themes by looking at the story of the mail during natural disasters, war and other pandemics such as the 1918 Flu.
Join National Postal Museum director Elliot Gruber and chief curator Daniel Piazza as they host Dr. Richard Kurin, author of “The Smithsonian's History of America in 101 Objects,” for an enlightening evening lecture highlighting the hidden secrets of the Smithsonian Institution.
Daniel A. Piazza, Chief Curator, explores the unique connections between baseball and postal history through stamp art, game memorabilia, and other objects from the Smithsonian, the United States Postal Service, the National Baseball Hall of Fame, and private collectors.
Baseball memorabilia collector and author Stephen Wong reflects on his involvement with the National Postal Museum’s exhibition Baseball: America’s Home Run, and the exhibit’s importance in light of recent conversations about race and American national identity. Wong is a major lender to the exhibition.
"Rapid Response Collecting" is all the rage, and gathering new pandemic-related objects for our collections grabs a lot of media attention. But what about collection objects that predate the current COVID pandemic?