Virtual Exhibitions

The below virtual exhibits are available online only; they are not on display in the museum.

This virtual exhibition is the first in a series of four focusing on the accomplishments of women featured on stamps. In Women on Stamps: Part 1, we acknowledge the efforts of pioneering women and early government leaders who entered previously unexplored territories - from the frontier to the Senate floor.

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This virtual exhibition is the second in a series of four focusing on the accomplishments of women featured on stamps. In Women on Stamps: Part 2, we feature women who pioneered in the fields of health, education, science, philanthropy, aviation and athletics.

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This virtual exhibition is the third in a series of four focusing on the accomplishments of women featured on stamps. In Women on Stamps: Part 3, we feature women who have made significant contributions to the visual arts and literature.

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This virtual exhibition is the fourth in a series of four focusing on the accomplishments of women featured on stamps. In Women on Stamps: Part 4, we feature women who have made significant contributions to the performing arts.

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African Americans on Postage Stamps
Since the founding of the United States, African Americans have played a pivotal role in the shaping of American history and heritage. Their contributions to America have included the fields highlighted by the 1940 Famous Americans and many more. This virtual exhibition showcases the black experience in the United States through the lens of American postage stamps.

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When there were no academic journals to counter racist scholarship, Dr. Carter G. Woodson created one. When no professional presses would accept materials about African Americans, he founded one. Former Smithsonian Fellow Kimberly D. Brown explores Woodson and the origins of Black History Month. Adapted from the National Museum of American History Blog.

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One of America's Greatest Civil Rights Pioneers
By the time Thurgood Marshall was appointed to the United States Supreme Court on June 13, 1967, he had already made his mark on the “highest court in the land.”

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The U.S. Postal Service celebrates the 12-year cycle of the Chinese lunar calendar with postage stamp series.

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Kwanzaa is the ideal time to consider harmonious and principled togetherness in the family, the neighborhood, the nation, and the world.

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Works from the National Gallery of Art (Virtual Exhibit)
Since 1970, two general themes of Christmas stamps have been issued yearly by the U.S. Postal Service: one “traditional” and one “contemporary.” The traditional stamps tend to be based on religious artwork, while the contemporary stamps usually have a secular subject. To showcase this tradition, the National Gallery of Art and the National Postal Museum have partnered to create this virtual exhibition, which explores the art behind US Christmas stamps.

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Over two million American military service men and women were stationed in Europe when the declaration of Armistice on November 11, 1918 effectively ended World War I. The deployed service personnel of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) transitioned from combat readiness, advanced to occupy Germany and began preparations to demobilize. Many, who had hoped to return home to the United States by Christmas 1918 could not, but with the help of the Red Cross, military and postal officials already had plans to deliver Christmas by mail.

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The Crime, the Victims, and the Legacy
On October 11, 1923, would-be robbers murdered three railway workers and a mail clerk during their holdup of Southern Pacific Train 13 at Tunnel 13 in the Siskiyou Mountains, Oregon. The investigation and international search for the three suspects led to their arrests and convictions in 1927. The case captivated public attention and has continued be reexamined in histories, documentaries, and the collections of museum and archives over the century. This 2023 online exhibition considers the records and artifacts that are part of the legacy of the tragic events at Tunnel 13.

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Leadership, Accomplishment and Cultural Celebration
Historic American Indian leaders honored here on postage stamps, exemplify a wide range of reaction to the radical confrontations that would drastically affect the traditions and culture of their peoples. Some chose resistance and war; others chose a path of adaptation and accommodation to a new way of life. In all cases, these leaders of nations were elder representatives of huge extended families, and their commitment to future generations was paramount.

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Native Themes in New Deal-Era Murals
There is much to be discerned about the post office murals from the 1930s and 1940s, and what they can tell us about the way we see, and have seen, the world.

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People, Places and Events on Stamps
Stamps illuminate what we value as a people and a culture, and the National Postal Museum’s Celebrating Hispanic Heritage: People, Places and Events on Stamps sheds new light on the many contributions of Hispanic Americans and Latinos to the exploration, culture, growth, and defense of the United States. The virtual exhibit is bilingual (English and Spanish/Español).

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Political leaders purposefully use print culture to promote political agendas, solidify authority, and fire patriotic emotions. The stamps issued by Mexico after its 1910-1920 revolution offer a compelling example. Among the postage stamps issued for this purpose, Mexico's airmail stamps played a significant role. This virtual exhibition is bilingual (English and Spanish) and features stamps and mail of Mexico.

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Exploring Cuba's History Through Postage Stamps
Explore Cuba's postal and aviation history in an ongoing research and exhibition effort to study and bring to the public an important research resource for the cultural history of Cuba, the Roberto Pichs collection of Cuban postage stamps.

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Though it existed as a stamp-issuing entity for only about seventy-five years, the Panama Canal Zone has a long history.

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This virtual exhibition highlights a great sports tradition, featuring stamps from several of the countries that have previously been honored with hosting the tournament.

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The Story of the American Flag Through Stamps

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This virtual exhibition features every U.S. postage stamp issued to date (2023) that honors Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Americans or their history and culture. It also highlights some stamps that depict the natural environments of the places from which they came.

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A dedicated public servant, Lincoln’s first civil service position began at the age of twenty-four as the postmaster of the New Salem, Illinois post office.

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Telling the Story of a Nation
From the early colonial period to the present day, American artists have captured their interpretation of the American experience using different forms of art. These pieces of fine art have been adapted to portray famous American individuals, events, and geography on postage stamps. Postage stamps depicting fine art have become another looking glass into this country and its many themes.

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Featuring Research Volunteer Contributions

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Featuring Research Volunteer Contributions

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