Smithsonian National Postal Museum

05/28/2026

Attending the 2026 World Stamp Expo in Boston, Massachusetts? Cone see us at booth #619!

05/28/2026

Virtual Story Time | Monday, June 1 | 11am ET | Zoom
Reserve a spot for your young learner at the link! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/story-time-with-the-national-postal-museum-registration-141338917507

This week we will be celebrating World Ocean Day (June 8) with a special guest educator from Natural History! We’ll be learning about artist Eugenie Clark and the work she did to study sharks and promote ocean conservation. We will make our own ocean-inspired stamp designs, and participants are invited to bring paper and drawing materials to the program.

05/17/2026

The Postal Service issued a 34-cent "Peanuts" commemorative stamp featuring Snoopy the dog on May 17, 2001.

Drawn by Charles M. Schulz (1922-2000), "Peanuts" began in syndication on October 2, 1950. The installment published on Sunday, February 13, 2000, was the last original comic strip by Schulz, who had passed away the previous day.

"Peanuts" focuses on the anxieties and joys of childhood as expressed by a cast of children who often seem wise beyond their years. Central to the comic strip is Charlie Brown's dog Snoopy, who first stood on his hind legs in 1958 and became extremely popular for his imaginative adventures as a number of characters, among them the World War I flying ace depicted on this stamp.

05/16/2026

The world's first regularly scheduled Air Mail Service began on May 15, 1918, between Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and New York City. This "Taussig Cover" was part of the mail carried aboard the first airmail flight on May 15. The cover with the embossed corner card of the Postmaster General, Washington, D.C. was autographed by President Woodrow Wilson and addressed to T. H. Patton, postmaster of New York City, at the suggestion of Noah W. Taussig, president of the American Molasses Company.

Taussig had written Wilson on April 22, 1918, to create this philatelic souvenir so that its sale could benefit "the American Red Cross or any war charity you may suggest." He explained to the President: "I have been a philatelist since boyhood, and as a boy I edited the New Jersey Philatelist. On May sixteenth, I will be fifty-five years of age. If you will honor me on that day by canceling the first 24-cent stamp by this new delivery with your autograph, I will arrange to have it sold at auction in New York -- and I will start the bidding with $1,000.00 ..."

The cover was auctioned at the Collectors' Club in New York City on June 11, 1918. It was sold to Taussig at his opening bid of $1,000 as promised. The sum was then paid to the American Red Cross.

05/08/2026

Virtual Story Time on Monday, May 11 at 11am

Celebrate creativity inspired by artist Ruth Asawa at this week’s Virtual Story Time. We’ll learn about the artist’s life and process, read A Life Made By Hand, and then make our own unique works of art.

Free registration: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/story-time-with-the-national-postal-museum-registration-141338917507

Designed for children ages 3-6 but all are welcome!

05/08/2026

Registration is now open for the 2026 Smithsonian National Education Summit (July 14–16, 2026). Offered both virtually and in person in Washington, D.C., this free multi‑day event will unite leading voices in education under the theme Together We Thrive: Towards a More Perfect Union. More than 40 sessions will equip you with classroom‑ready ideas as we prepare for the United States’ Semiquincentennial. Reserve your spot today!

The Summit is a three-day program, occurring July 14-16, 2026, with online, in-person, and on-demand engagement opportunities for participation. The event is free to attend.

05/04/2026

! This metal R2-D2 collection box is covered with a vinyl “skin” that makes it take on the appearance of a droid character in the film Star Wars. Transferred from the United States Postal Service in October 2007, this collection box is signed by George Lucas and then Postmaster General John E. Potter.

March 2007 marked the 30th anniversary of the release of the first Star Wars film. To honor the event, USPS in collaboration with Lucasfilm Ltd. released 400 round-top mail collection boxes across the country. This box was installed at Union Station in Washington, DC, next to the Postal Museum!

R2-D2 was chosen to have its likeness placed onto collection boxes because of his shape, which is similar to that of the mailboxes and because it “embodies the trust and dependability for which the Postal Service is renowned” according to a press release from USPS. It is currently on view at the National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution's Udvar Hazy Center!

© Lucasfilm Ltd. and the United States Postal Service. All rights reserved.

04/30/2026

STAMP Camp 2026: A Free Virtual Summer Adventure!

This summer, ignite your child’s curiosity with STAMP Camp, a fun, free virtual program designed to bring STEAM learning (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) right to your inbox!

What is STAMP Camp?
S.T.A.M.P stands for Science, Technology, Art, Math, and Problem-solving. This free virtual, asynchronous camp delivers hands-on activities straight from the National Postal Museum, all through email.
STAMP Camp is fully digital, free, and self-paced, making it accessible to everyone, everywhere. Each week of activities connects postal history with STEAM learning, using real objects and stories from across the Smithsonian.

How It Works:
1. Sign up for free at https://postalmuseum.si.edu/stamp-camp-2026 to receive five unique STEAM activities in June and July.
2. All activities are emailed directly to you for easy exploration.
3. Complete at your own pace, whenever, wherever.

Perfect for kids ages 6–12 (with adult support). Registration is required by a parent or guardian.

STAMP Camp starts June 3, 2026 – don’t miss out on a creative and curiosity-fueled summer!

04/20/2026

Bring your own birthday cards, because the Happy Birthday Forever® stamps are here and ready to get the party started! 🕺

04/17/2026

For 250 years, the U.S. Postal Service® has found creative ways to keep mail moving! From motorcycles to roller skates and beyond, innovation has always been part of the journey 🛵🛼📬