Stamp Design and the Visual Arts

Topical Reference Page
a blank stamp frame

Find resources about stamp art and design on the museum's website.

Artwork by Keith Birdsong for American Indian Dances commemoratives; very similar to the issued stamp.
Carl T. Herrman Collection
As an art director for the U.S. Postal Service for more than 15 years, Carl T. Herrman designed more than 50 stamps and guided more than 250 stamp projects, including Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, Humphrey Bogart, and Comic Strip Classics.

Learn more About Carl T. Herrman Collection

8f Year of the Monkey single, China, 1980
Pacific Exchange: China and U.S. Mail - Community: Lunar New Year Stamps
Exhibition
社区—中国农历新年邮票
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Interactive screen in gallery
William H. Gross Stamp Gallery - Connect with U.S. Stamps
Exhibition
In this highly interactive area, visitors are immersed in examples of how stamp content, design, and production have changed over time and how modern U.S. stamps reflect the nation’s identity. Here, too, visitors explore...
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a blank stamp frame
Design It!

Have you ever looked carefully at a stamp and thought about the country it came from? These lessons guide you and your students in recognizing national American imagery that is...

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Duck stamp album illustration
About U.S. Stamps - Duck Stamp Artists and Related Persons
Exhibition
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Dr. Atl stamp, 1975
Mexico Via Airmail - Fine Arts
Exhibition
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Guest Artist Program
Guest Artist Program
The NPM collaborates with living stamp artists on a wide range of educational programs for learners of all ages.

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2-cent Frank Lloyd Wright stamp
Guggenheim Museum Opens in New York
Exhibition

On October 21, 1959, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum opened in New York City. The museum's building was designed by legendary American architect Frank Lloyd Wright. To celebrate this event, the National Postal Museum has created this mini-exhibit highlighting different postage stamps with connections to the Guggenheim Museum and Frank Lloyd Wright.

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Sandy Hook Lighthouse commemorative stamp artwork
Howard H. Koslow Collection
The Howard H. Koslow Collection of modern U.S. stamp art consists of one box of forty-eight folders containing pre- and post-production materials for nearly every stamp Howard Koslow designed. The folders are arranged into three series.

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blank stamp with border
Celebrating People with Disabilities through Stamps - Lesson Extension
Curriculum Guide
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Postal Inspector Dan Mihalko in an art gallery
Mail Scams and Schemes: Art Forgeries
Learn firsthand from Postal Inspector and Postal Museum Docent Dan Mihalko about real postal crimes involving counterfeit works of high art sold at a high price!

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FDR looking at his stamp collection
Mail to the Chief
January 30, 1998 - July 2, 1998
Exhibition

President Franklin D. Roosevelt enjoyed a lifelong interest in collecting stamps. FDR sketched the original designs for several United States stamps issued during his time in office.

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Related Blogs

Crusade Against Cancer flyer cover
Are Stamps Art: The Design Process
08.01.2018

The National Postal Museum is pleased to host our very first Katzenberger Art History intern Luke Tokman. Luke is working this summer on a project with our Research Chair Susan Smith, titled “Are Stamps Art?”

Learn more About Are Stamps Art: The Design Process

Stamp artwork with Jefferson Memorial and cherry tree branches
“Beautiful Blooms: Flowering Plants on Stamps” Opens Tomorrow!
10.19.2017

The museum is pleased to announce the opening of its newest exhibition “Beautiful Blooms: Flowering Plants on Stamps."

Learn more About “Beautiful Blooms: Flowering Plants on Stamps” Opens Tomorrow!

Bremerton residents view and discuss a post office mural
Exploring a Community’s Past through Its Post Office Mural
08.22.2017

During my research on Northwest murals, a particular work quickly became one of my favorites. Painted by Ernest Ralph Norling (born Pasco, WA, 1892; died Seattle, WA, 1974), “Logging” is a prominent fixture in the Bremerton, WA post office to this day.

Learn more About Exploring a Community’s Past through Its Post Office Mural

MERENGUE Let’s Dance Stamp Art
National Postal Museum To Unveil Art Exhibition
11.18.2015

The Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum is unveiling an exhibition of original artwork Dec. 10 titled, “New York City: A Portrait Through Stamp Art.” On display through Mar. 13, 2017, 30 pieces of original artwork will be publically displayed for the first time, celebrating the influence of New York City on American society.

Learn more About National Postal Museum To Unveil Art Exhibition

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