Music and the Performing Arts

Topical Reference Page
29 cent stamp showing Elvis singing into a microphone

Elvis Presley stamp, 1993

Find resources related to music and the performing arts on the National Postal Museum's website.

Show Boat stamp art
Exhibition
Broadway is much more than a major thoroughfare running through Manhattan. The word evokes the section of Broadway between 42nd Street and 53rd Street, which includes Times Square and is home to more than 40 professional theaters. This is the "Great White Way,” where theater marquees illuminate the evening and convey the pulse of a city that never sleeps. Broadway has helped make New York City a cultural capital of the world.
Cliff Clavin's postal uniform
Exhibition
Films and plays continue to help ensure that their audience immediately recognizes a...
1959 First day cover, Vienna Philharmonic
The collection is a broad compilation of thematically organized stamps, covers, commemorative sheets, and more philatelic objects. Themes presented in the collection include composers, performers, musical instruments, festivals, and music industry. Dr.
Exhibition

On October 15, 1951, real life husband and wife Desi Arnaz and Lucile Ball first appeared as the fictional married couple Lucy and Ricky Ricardo on CBS's newest television show I Love Lucy. Nine seasons later, the two had cemented themselves in American television history forever.

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Exhibition

On September 18, 1970, legendary musician Jimi Hendrix died. In celebration of Hendrix's life and music, the National Postal Museum has created this mini-exhibit highlighting different postage stamps with connections to Jimi Hendrix and the era in American history that he helped shape.

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Jascha Heifetz, Russian-born American violinist is associated with musical perfection. He became a U.S. citizen in 1925 and toured the world giving concerts. Heifetz’s specialized collection is about anything connected with music.
September 7, 2018 - September 2, 2019
Exhibition

John Lennon’s boyhood stamp album—including 565 stamps on more than 150 pages was on display at the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum. The exhibition coincided with the U.S. Postal Service’s issuance of the John Lennon Forever stamp, honoring the legendary singer and songwriter. The stamp is part of the USPS’ Music Icons series.

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October 6, 2005 - April 6, 2006
Exhibition

Before John Lennon traveled the globe playing music with The Beatles, this boy from Liverpool, England saw the world in a whole different way−through stamps.

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Related Blogs

Remembering John Prine, the Singing Mailman

In his early 20s, singer-songwriter John Prine worked as a mail carrier in Chicago and crafted many songs on his daily route. In his own words: “I passed the time each day making up these little ditties.” The double album “The Singing Mailman Delivers” further enshrined his time as a postal employee. One year after his death, we commemorate the musical giant with a new blog post. Learn more about Prine’s incredible career (which spanned five decades), his enduring legacy, and his humble roots.

Marian Anderson: A Voice of a Lifetime

Marian Anderson—one of the greatest concert and classical singers of the twentieth century—was honored on a stamp issued by the United States Postal Service on January 27, 2005.

Honoring Marceline’s Favorite Son: The Walt Disney Commemorative Stamp, 1968

On December 15, 1966, the world mourned the loss of Walter Elias Disney, America’s well-loved animator, film producer, and theme-park entrepreneur. Following his death, tributes from around the world honored Disney and his legacy of beloved characters, including the 6-cent Walt Disney commemorative stamp issued by the United States Post Office on September 11, 1968.

Country Music Icons: Immortalized and Celebrated in Stamps

In honor of National U.S. Postage Stamp Day, the National Postal Museum is pleased to welcome guest blogger René Rodgers, Curator of Exhibits and Publications at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum.

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Related Content

Jazz in the Collections

Enjoy this selection of Smithsonian Institution museum collection objects related to jazz.

Rock and Roll Music

Enjoy this selection of Smithsonian Institution museum collection objects related to Rock and Roll music.

African Americans in Jazz, Poetry and Beyond

Since the founding of the United States, African Americans have played a pivotal role in American history and heritage. This virtual exhibit showcases African Americans in music, poetry, film, theatre, choreography, and writers in the United States through the lens of American postage stamps.