Smithsonian's National Postal Museum

Gorgeous building, and the exhibits are all wonderfully immersive and well thought out. You can learn about the evolution of postal services, peruse the extensive stamp collection (+international stamps!) and educate yourself about the role postal services have played in each era of the US’s history. The exhibits are equally fun for kids and adults, for laypeople and experts.

This is a great museum. Lots of fun interactive elements. The way everything is laid out is enganging and informative. There is so much history here, and the way it's presented makes you appreciate the USPS

Right across from the station is the Post Office Museum, and the best part? It’s free to visit! 🏛️✨ You can even grab up to five “used” stamps, which make for a unique souvenir and a great collector’s item! 📮 It’s definitely worth a stop if you’re in the area!

Washington is full with great museums and I love it that all museums are free. I chose the Postal Museum, because museums of this kind show a lot about the culture of a country. And I was not disappointed. On the contrary. The museum is informative, interactive, you can create your own stamps and even get six stamps for free which are in a big box. Together with others, I spent a lot of time looking at the stamps in the box, because it was hard to choose only six! It's great especially for a visit with children.

Very beautiful and creative exhibits.. really enjoyed our time and didn't feel bored everything was interesting and made us want to read all the details and experience everything there. The gift shop was cute and got some nice magnets We were able to get postcards and send them from the post office there.

Loved it. Offered a new perspective of how the postal service carries us through time and history. Displays were curated well! Learned a lot and felt like a great place to take kids as well (it has many interactive parts). Bathrooms were well maintained, and the museum was overall not very crowded when we visited. Not a huge museum, but a memorable and lovely one.Would recommend for all ages.

Who can complain about a free museum? Care was taken with these exhibits and they made the experience as interesting as possible for the subject matter. You won't need to spend a lot of time here but I thought it was worth a visit.

This is a great museum! Free admission. I love museums and this one was jam packed with cool stuff. You can easily spend 4 hours in here looking at everything. They give you the history of stamps and postal service, they also have EVERY STAMP EVER MADE. Pop Cultural ones, different countries variations, speciality ones, everything! Most of everything here is interactive and it’s also very visually appealing. This place is great for families, schools (there was a school tour and guide while I was there), solo travels, and all ages. I learned so much on my trip here. I would go again to see all the stamps I didn’t see the first time around

Gorgeous building, and the exhibits are all wonderfully immersive and well thought out. You can learn about the evolution of postal services, peruse the extensive stamp collection (+international stamps!) and educate yourself about the role postal services have played in each era of the US’s history. The exhibits are equally fun for kids and adults, for laypeople and experts.

This is a great museum. Lots of fun interactive elements. The way everything is laid out is enganging and informative. There is so much history here, and the way it's presented makes you appreciate the USPS

Right across from the station is the Post Office Museum, and the best part? It’s free to visit! 🏛️✨ You can even grab up to five “used” stamps, which make for a unique souvenir and a great collector’s item! 📮 It’s definitely worth a stop if you’re in the area!

Washington is full with great museums and I love it that all museums are free. I chose the Postal Museum, because museums of this kind show a lot about the culture of a country. And I was not disappointed. On the contrary. The museum is informative, interactive, you can create your own stamps and even get six stamps for free which are in a big box. Together with others, I spent a lot of time looking at the stamps in the box, because it was hard to choose only six! It's great especially for a visit with children.

Very beautiful and creative exhibits.. really enjoyed our time and didn't feel bored everything was interesting and made us want to read all the details and experience everything there. The gift shop was cute and got some nice magnets We were able to get postcards and send them from the post office there.

Loved it. Offered a new perspective of how the postal service carries us through time and history. Displays were curated well! Learned a lot and felt like a great place to take kids as well (it has many interactive parts). Bathrooms were well maintained, and the museum was overall not very crowded when we visited. Not a huge museum, but a memorable and lovely one.Would recommend for all ages.

Who can complain about a free museum? Care was taken with these exhibits and they made the experience as interesting as possible for the subject matter. You won't need to spend a lot of time here but I thought it was worth a visit.

This is a great museum! Free admission. I love museums and this one was jam packed with cool stuff. You can easily spend 4 hours in here looking at everything. They give you the history of stamps and postal service, they also have EVERY STAMP EVER MADE. Pop Cultural ones, different countries variations, speciality ones, everything! Most of everything here is interactive and it’s also very visually appealing. This place is great for families, schools (there was a school tour and guide while I was there), solo travels, and all ages. I learned so much on my trip here. I would go again to see all the stamps I didn’t see the first time around

I love niche museums as I am able to learn so much more than I would at a more general knowledge type of museum. I was looking for a unique museum with free admission to visit in DC, and the National Postal Museum really caught my eye. The museum turned out to be so much larger than I expected. We started off in the Stamp Gallery after going through security. They have a huge collection of stamps from all over the world. I thought this was the main part of the museum, but I was very surprised and impressed when we went down the escalator to a grand atrium with a large plane model, train, horse carriage, and postal truck. They have many more exhibits on this lower level about the history of the postal service. They were very well designed. I especially liked how you could walk inside the train, and I found the exhibit about bioterrorism through the postal service to be the most fascinating. There were quite a few interactive features that were out of order. I was confused why there were so many baseball exhibits in the postal museum. I feel like they belong in a baseball or sports museum.

As an avid journaling girl and stamp fan, this museum was on my to-visit list as soon as I moved to the DMV. This museum is a free two story museum dedicated to our USPS, its history, and its stamps!! You don't require a reservation in advance and I got through security in less than a minute. It's a less popular museum simply because it isn't located at the National Mall directly but you should absolutely visit if you have any interest in stamps, the USPS, or history! The exhibits are well done and interactive. I particularly enjoyed one that mimicked the forested trail post officers would have had to walk through in the dark when delivering mail back in the 1700's. This museum also teaches you so much about our country's mail delivery services I didn't know about and it was so interesting to learn. They had a giant section on stamps and you could see a bunch of brilliant older designs as well as go through their free stamp collection section where they kindly ask visitors to limit themselves to 6 stamps to take home to start their own collections. They also feature the USPS's mascot which was so nice to see. They also had a baseball section when I went but I am unsure if this is temporary or not. The gift shop sells pretty historic stamps to collect (not usable for mailing), actual pretty stamps you can use to mail letters or packages (many designs are unfortunately sold out, I'm not sure how often they replace them), as well as USPS and general mail/stamp themed gifts. I purchased a worldwide stamp set for $10 which included 500 stamps. They have another $10 stamp set which includes 500 stamps, the difference is mine has the stamps attached to a paper backing. You will have to remove this by soaking the paper in warm-hot water for a few minutes and then the stamp's glue will dissolve and you can safely and gently remove it from its paper's backing. If you do not wish to do this, you should purchase the other set that shows the stamps you will receive in a transparent plastic bag. They also sell individual stamps without a paper backing from various countries for $4-$5. For my stamp aficionados!!! There IS a stamp you can collect from this museum!! Please see my attached photo, I received this after asking about it in the gift shop on the lower level. I sorted the stamps I received and made a collage of the American ones I got in my journal (see below).

I wish they had the transitions to the first uniform to most current, but this was still a super neat place to see. I'm a mail nerd, so I enjoyed each piece of history the museum had to offer. Beautiful displays! Easy to find and steet parking is available

Lovely visit to the Smithsonian's National Postal Museum. Free to enter and NO advanced reservations required. Although you will be screened via a TSA-style metal detector upon entry. Conveniently located right across the street from Union Station. Also a nice 15-minute walk to the Capitol Building and a 20-25 minute walk to the National Mall area. Lovely architecture in the museum as with other Smithsonian Museums. Lots of exhibits covering stamps, the postal process, postal security procedures, postal transportation and the general evolution and advances of the postal service throughout history. This is an absolute must for stamp-collectors. One interesting area is where you can look up stamps from any country in the world...that is very cool considering the number of international tourists visitig the area. There is a small gift shop but it has a separate stamp shop which is cool. Overall a great experience...highly recommended.

Very niche museum, perfect if you're into stamp collecting. It's free admission and opens a little later than the rest of the Smithsonian museums. There's two stories total with a gift shop on the ground floor. The gift shop was a little disappointing because we're expecting it to be a lot bigger and have a lot of stamp options to from... They have one of the crank machines for coin pressed souvenirs right outside the gift shop. My favorite exhibit is the USPS and mail crime. I thought the gallery of stamps was kind of boring in my opinion lol. One cool thing is you can pick a few stamps for free to start your own stamp collection. They also have this station with free postcards to write on.

What a fun and unique museum! It's a very niche museum but we enjoyed looking at different stamps and feel the excitement of the history of stamps. It took about an hour to go through the museum. They have an actual post office downstairs and a cool gift shop where you buy your own stamps.

The National Postal Museum is a museum that opened in Washington, D.C. in 1993. It was established through a joint agreement between the United States Postal Service and the Smithsonian Institution. The museum is located across the street from Union Station in a building that served as the main post office for Washington, D.C. from 1914-1986. Historical exhibits guide visitors through the postal service's inception and expansion, as well as its role in significant national events such as World War II. Since the museum is a member of the Smithsonian Institution, admission is FREE. My family and I recently visited the National Postal Museum while we were staying in DC for a short vacation. It isn't one of the more popular Smithsonian Museums, but I was still excited to see it because both my uncle and my late grandfather were postal workers (with the latter even rising to the rank of postmaster). We also heard that it was a great place to bring young children. For the occasion, my wife even surprised our older son with his own postal worker uniform. We ABSOLUTELY LOVED this museum! It was so interactive for children and adults alike. It features several mail cars, trucks, trains and planes (some of which can even be sat in). Our older son loved pretending that he was driving a postal tractor trailer. There are also several exhibits where visitors can learn about message boxes, zip codes, optical scanners and conveyor systems. The museum has an excellent wing devoted entirely to stamps. It features some of the rarest stamps in the world (including the "Inverted Jenny") as well as the childhood stamp collection of the late musician (and former Beatle) John Lennon. Best of all, it wasn't crowded at all. We highly recommend visiting the Postal Museum and we look forward to returning on a future trip to DC!

I've lived in the DC area all my life and never came to the Postal Museum. Guess my parents usually stuck to the museums on the Mall. This place is such a great place to explore. My 9 year old and 4 year old had a blast. The older one loved reading about the history and taking a closer look at stamps from all over. The little loved running through the "trail" and tossing packages in the mailroom. Both loved the mail truck and the interactive activities throughout. I enjoyed testing my skills at finding suspicious mail and entering zip codes. Definitely a less crowded option in DC for a kiddo day!

Fantastic! Something for everyone. Very well put together, a lot more interesting than i expected!

It's free and has some fun interactive exhibits. We enjoyed the small baseball exhibit. There was a start your own stamp collection spot (pick 6). Spent about an hour and a half here.

My friend and I are locals and decided for to check out this museum since it's free. We really enjoyed how informational it was and they had so many exhibits. Between the first and second floor we were able to learn so much history about stamps. There were also so interactive portions on the first floor as well which I thought was cool. This is a fun museum for kids to see as well.

Loved this museum! Lots of interactive pieces that were fun to play with, especially the mail sorting zip code typer. A lot of activities to keep children busy and so much to learn fr adults. We left with a newfound respect for everything postal workers do.

I've walked by this museum countless times on my way to meetings in a nearby building but have never been free and in the immediate area during the hours they were open. Well, I ended up with a rainy afternoon with nothing else to do since the cherry blossoms were early this year, so were already gone, and all the other museums were packed with spring break travelers and school groups. A big plus is that they don't require timed entry so you can just stop in. They do have a bit more old-school TSA style security here vs the more modern systems in other Smithsonian museums so prepare to empty your pockets and take off all coats, sweaters, etc. and then reassemble in the lobby area. This was fun with raincoats and wet umbrellas. Anyway, it's a nice, relatively uncrowded museum. There is an interesting mix of baseball exhibits and history of the postal system and information on stamps. Fun fact of my visit was learning that Cleveland, OH was the first city to provide home delivery of mail. The main hall is beautiful so architecture fans will enjoy this aspect of a visit as well. The exhibits on mail security and investigations of mail fraud were interesting. If you're in the area near Union Station and have an hour or so to fill, this really isn't a bad option for a less-crowded, free admission museum.

The National Postal Museum - a Smithsonian with a slight cult following. There are a lot of devoted fans to this museum and I'm inclined to agree with them! The museum is right by Union Station so if you ever arrive too early for your train, I'd recommend strolling through. It's larger than would seem from the outside but still a pretty small museum. It goes through so much history about the US through stamps - and you end up learning a lot more than you would expect to! This is also a must for any baseball fan - there is a large exhibit about baseball (it was apparently a condition from a donor that there be information about baseball), pairing stamps with actual game artifacts. It takes you through the creation of baseball to breaking the color barrier to the current day. You'll learn about Ted Williams' triple crown, random facts about Joe DiMaggio and various other legends. Even if you are not a baseball fan, you'll find the museum interesting and full of trivia tidbits you'd never think to even ask. There's also an area where you can get some stamps - according to a security guard, they've seen collectors come and find some rare stamps! Everyone at the museum is very nice - one security guard came over to us and point out that the tiles are shaped like envelopes! Overall, this was an excellently curated museum (with some great design touches) to a topic that I never knew I would be this interested by.

I had not expected to be as impressed as I was by this museum! The building and facilities are clean and maintained well, the exhibits are visually and intellectually pleasing, the staff are courteous and friendly, and best of all, there is no charge to visit! There is something to do for everyone, including young children. For the bigger visitors, there's a fun station to design your own stamps that you can email to yourself. And also sort through the thousands of used stamps and pick some (up to six) for your own collection or for souvenir. You can also pick up a free postcard and mail it with a special National Postage Museum stamp! We went at 4:00pm on a Saturday (closing time is 5:30pm) and had plenty of time to explore (including getting lost). It was not crowded at all, which is nice.

This is a must-visit museum. Lots of exhibits geared towards kids. A fun way to learn postal history. The museum is located close to the union station. Plenty of food options at the union station. We stepped out to get lunch and returned back to the museum.

This was a lot bigger inside than I had expected- really great variety of exhibits. I absolutely love snail mail so this was perfect but even if you're not into stamps there's a lot of cool history and things like stagecoach and interactive things. A nice museum away from Smithsonian area. Lots of places to eat nearby at the main train station.

My recent visit to this museum was delightful. I've always passed by this museum when walking into the Union station right next door but my wife and I finally decided to step in and check out the history of postal services and the collection of stamps. We didn't expect too much but was surprised by the collections of stamps and the history behind some of the rare stamps such as the Inverted Jenny, which they say not all 100 stamps were found. I will be keeping an eye out for this rare piece of history! :)

This is one of those hidden gems that many people don't know about. If you love stamps, postcards, and anything to do with mail then you should not miss going to this museum. Entrance is free but you do have to go through security to enter. There are many displays showing the beginning of mail delivery throughout the decades.

Of the numerous museums in DC, specifically the Smithsonian institutions, this museum was probably lowest on my list. Perhaps the low expectations were a benefit because I absolutely LOVED this museum! It won't be a surprise that the people who will benefit most from this museum are philatelists. But even if stamp collecting isn't your thing, there are plenty of exhibits to keep your interest and welcome you into a new and very cool world. The mail crimes interactive walkthrough was especially fun. The unabomber, anthrax, mail fraud, and more were presented in a very informative and engaging way. They even had the handcuffs used on the unabomber on display! Most poignant to me was an exhibit on mail delivery during natural disasters. Have you ever thought about how mail service was impacted on 9/11 or hurricane Katrina? I hadn't until going through this museum. I also had no idea that The Hindenburg had been carrying mail! This museum, as other reviewers have pointed out, seems to be an American history museum with a very specific vantage point. It's true, and it works to the museum's favor. They tell the stories they want to tell very well. I liked the baseball exhibit--super cool Sally Ride connections you'll be surprised by--and I think children would enjoy the vehicle exhibits too. While this museum may not be quite as high on your list as some of the other Smithsonians, you should give it a try! You'll be glad you did.

Like most of the museums in DC, this one is free. It has so much to look at, it's not AS much interactive stuff like the other museums had (if you have a toddler who likes that stuff, like mine). It was harder for him to stay interested but it was fun for me. Lots of history and facts

It is good, but not great. However, you can find a lot of post stamps from all countries over the world. The main hall is amazing,

Great, underrated museum in DC. It is super easy to get to because it is right beside Union Station (red line metro). It took me about 2 1/2 hours to get through the museum, and I went to all the exhibits and read a good portion of the information. It has a few interactive elements, but the majority of it is reading information panels. The information could be repetitive at times. I went on a Saturday after, and there were not many people. It gives you a lot of good information you didn't expect to know about mail and the postal service.

Greatly exceeded expectations. I visited here with co-workers after having lunch nearby as was pleasantly surprised at both the quality and quantity of displays here. This museum did a great job of showcasing both the different stamps, vehicles, and other items related to the postal service. It also did a great job of displaying these in a very impressive manner, both in terms of storytelling and in having different display types (hanging, video, interactive, etc.) which allowed visitors to get really immersed in the history.

This Smithsonian Museum is not one of the more popular ones but a must see if you are interested in the post office, mail, or stamps. Interesting exhibits include the stamp gallery, history of stamps, mail trucks, cars, and planes. They also had an exhibit on the history of baseball. This was an unexpected surprise. Allow 1-2 hours to visit.

An interesting museum with a weird intertwined baseball theme. The way I would describe this museum is as an American history museum with a view through the lens of the mail service. There are interesting relics and stories from the origination of the first mail services right through to modern day insights on how mail systems operate (up to early 2000s because the museum seemingly hasn't been updated since then). It's worth checking out and it's free but wouldn't rush there again.

I think this would be great for the K-6 grades and the elderly. But for the basic person, it's not terribly interesting if I'm being honest. It had potential. Just kinda missed the mark with this one. It's quite a jaunt from the mall, but I really wanted to see it. Underwhelming.

This is the single greatest museum to ever exist in the history of the world. Backstory: I believe the post office is the backbone of American democracy. I love the USPS to my core. So, I planned a whole trip to Washington D.C. with my 2 dear friends specifically so we could go to this museum. Now, dear reader, you may be worried that the high expectations are going to be a breeding ground for disappointment. Do not fear. This museum exceeded every single expectation I ever could have of it. Not only is it an architectural masterpiece, as well as a prime location situated right by Union Station, but it is informative, interactive, and does indeed do justice to the great system that is the post office. I am going postal for this museum. I love all the information on stamp collectors, and the designs of stamps, and the logos of the post office. Additionally, the information about postal systems around the world was delightful as were the mailboxes from other countries. However I also really loved the information on transportation, homesteads, and the push west. The star of the show without a doubt is Mr. Zippy, the beloved logo of the zip code. He is the best. The only part I didn't like was there was a stuffed dog that made me uncomfy. If you to would like to experience the joy of going postal, look no further than the National Postal Museum.

In a town full of history, museums, art, and politics this museum stands out. Located by Central Station, the Postal Museum is unique and chronicles all things postal. This extends to post service creation to 20th century travel and there is an extensive collections stamps thrown in. If you have a few hours I recommend adding this spot to your itinerary.

Right beside Union Station, this is a great mid-sized museum. Smithsonian, so free. I collected stamps as a kid, enjoying the art, the link to far-off lands, the history. I still get some to keep when cool ones come out at the PO, and the occasional first-day issue. But I was here for the planes, for I am a wingnut, and I knew they had at least one. There are three: a DH.4 like the first airmail planes, a Stinson used in an experiment to pick up mail with a hook, and a Wiseman-Cook, similar to Wright planes, that carried the first-ever airmail. There are of course many exhibits about airmail, and heroes such as Earhart and Lindbergh. Plus, a ton of other interesting postal displays, about the development of stamps, of delivery services, technology, etc. Lots about how stamps are made. There's a table where you can start your collection, with random stamps. There are areas about forgery, and mail fraud and other crimes. Many interesting displays, easy to navigate, well put together. Famous stamps are in boxes with lights that only come on when you're nearby, to limit damage. Well worth a visit, even though it is slightly off the main drag of the Mall.

After nearly eight years in DC, I finally visited the National Postal Museum today. I wasn't sure how engaging it would be, but I was pleasantly surprised. There are many interesting exhibits on the first and second floor. One of my favorites was "Stamps around the Globe," which is exactly what it sounds like but also includes historical stamps from countries that no longer exist. Even stamps from Antarctica! I'm also enjoyed the "Behind the Badge" exhibit, which talked about all the different ways that the Postal Inspection Service protects people--from biological agents, fake sweepstakes, various kinds of fraud, and even helping to identify missing children. It's kind of crazy to think about some of the frauds that have been carried out in history, and this exhibit gave me a better understanding. Despite USPS currently being plagued with issues, I'm glad I came to the Postal Museum. It's a hidden gem right across the street from Union Station!

For some reason, I love post offices and the concept of sending parcels so naturally, I enjoyed my visit to the National Postal Museum! The US Postal Service has a rich history and it's fun to know you can send something anywhere in the world. It's like part of your American freedom. I know there is UPS, FedEx, etc., but everyone is touched by the USPS if you have a mailbox! The exterior and interior architecture are beautiful, the staff is friendly/helpful, the gift shop has fun souvenirs, and the stamp collection is nuts. Things you don't want to miss are: 1) 24c Curtiss Jenny inverted block of four, 1918 2) 1c Benjamin Franklin Z Grill stamp 3) All the foreign mailboxes 4) Letter found on the sunken Titanic 5) Thompson (Tommy) submachine gun exhibit I highly recommend a visit here! Why not? It's free.

An underrated Smithsonian museum. Truly exceeded my expectations. The building is beautiful. It's conveniently located by Union Station. Highlights were the free souvenirs (can take home 6 stamps and postcards). I loved the lower gallery that had the aircraft, wagon, and mail truck. Very interactive and they provide tools so you don't have to touch during these crazy times. They are closed now but staff said they'll reopen again

Mom has expressed a desire to visit this museum for at least a year. It's not that I resisted the idea, but I didn't know what to expect and I didn't feel the need to rush. Now that I've seen this gem I'm making it a priority to return soon. The museum is located jus across the street from Union Station, making parking or public transportation easy. It also made lunch easy, as we simply took a break between exhibits and dashed across the street. Our morning was spent on the lower level of the museum, learning the history of the Post Office and its workers. Mom loved the exhibit on Owney, a real dog who served as the unofficial mascot of the USPS during the time that mail was delivered by train. He spent a happy life crisscrossing the US, friend and good luck charm to all who he chose as his companions. I enjoyed the history of the air mail carriers, and also truly appreciated the explanation of zip codes and the technology behind mail delivery. We returned after lunch to visit the store, which had the standard selection of Smithsonian goodies along with an amazing assortment of first day issued stamps. There was also a counter where you could buy any stamp still sold by the USPS. I don't collect stamps, but like to keep a variety in my stationary drawer, so gave in to temptation a bit there. The building also features a full post office open 364 days per year just in case the stamps need to be put into immediate use. We also wandered through the most comprehensive stamp collection in the US, all of which is kept in beautiful cases on the upper level. I was happy to discover a row of magnifying lenses in the corner of the archive. I did spend some time wandering through the digital collection of every stamp ever printed and emailed photos of my favorites to myself. All in all it was a lovely museum visit. I know that I will return and I recommend it to the curious, especially those who might like a quiet, non rushed museum visit. I'd guess that the security staff outnumbered visitors during my trip.

The passage of time has changed this building. It used to be a bank, our main post office, Capital City Brewing and now a museum. The museum is awesome (and free). If you are stopping by Union Station, you should definitely stop by the postal Museum. It is directly across the street from metro. Adults and kids can find something that will be of interest. The building itself is incredible. The history of stamps are really fascinating. The displays are colorful fun and interesting. The interactive displays allow you to learn about popular stamps in every state. You can search for categories on the display. The sliding trays have popular and rare stamps that are really interesting. Even if you aren't a stamp collector the displays are amazing. If you enjoy collecting stamps there is a station that allows you to take home six of them. You can also use the computer to create your own personalized stamp and email it to yourself. The gift shop sells collector stamps and other items. The exhibits have a lot of interesting items with their history explained. There are two levels of exhibits that really cram in a lot of information. It is more practical to visit when there are not lots of tourists in the area. However, the place is spacious. I was so amazed by the museum that I visited two days in a row. There is a security check at the entrance. No one seem to mind that I had a bottle of water in my bag. This museum gives me a better appreciation for what goes into a stamp, the history of stamp design and mail fraud investigators. There is so much more to mail then simply putting a stamp on an envelope. Bonus points for the free postcards at the information desk.

This was an amazing museum! Took the guided tour and the guide was a former history teacher who had so many interesting things to show and discuss. I could have stayed all day, and will be back another time.

Cleanest restroom in the immediate area cutest Little museum, only takes an hour, definitely knock this one out

Underrated, fun experience to learn about how our mail is processed, all the historical and security implications of the mail system, and how little we think about it. The top floor is full of interactions: Pick up your stamps to start a collection (they say 6, but we were encouraged to pick more if we like), create your own stamp with your photo, create your own virtual stamp collection, browse through the ENTIRE stamps ever issued... You can also order 200 free stamps with free delivery online AND there is a functional post office under the museum. What more could you ask for? (Plus cute USPS trucks at the gift store, and their mascot is a doggy.) We are spoiled to have all of this for free.

Hidden gem - never realized how interesting the history of the postal service is. This place has very well-done exhibits spanning from colonial times to modern day. Great gift shop too.

After we first arrived in DC we made this museum our first stop because they were in the final days of showing the guns used in the famous Alexander Hamilton/Aaron Burr duel. Just across the street from Union Station we went to the information desk and no one was there. We picked up a map and asked one of the security guards where it was. This is a temporary exhibit devoted to how a bust head of Alexander Hamilton was used to create postal stamps no longer in circulation. Seeing the Federalist papers post card and the $.30 stamps modeled after that bust in the late 1800s was remarkable! The pistols were there but after reading the description I learned that they are not authentic but the best "claim to authenticity" as those used in the famous duel and the duel that took the life of his son Philip. After seeing the exhibition I wanted to capture some of the highlights of the museum since we were under time constraints. I must say this museum is very family friendly and has many interactive exhibits. I learned that the entire 2nd floor has open spaces within the galleries so you can seamlessly travel from one gallery to another. I loved how you could design your own postage stamp and with the help of the security guard again was able to find Amelia Earhart's uniform. I enjoyed posing for a giant post card and the wall of stamps hanging all over the place-These were big sizes and I had my eye on the 911 firefighter one since that had a big impact on me since my association with that tragedy was Flight 93. Another thing we discovered on the 2nd floor was an inverted Jenny which was the Post Office's greatest error. There's just so much here that you need several hours to take it all in. We saw the regular Post Office here but no one was there. So we headed to the first floor and saw the Great Hall. I loved looking at the old airplanes, mail trucks and military trucks and even the rail car. We saw Owney the mail mascot-I didn't know it was stuffed! This is what I lose out on when no one is at the information desk throughout our visit. Yet I was fascinated with him with all the tags covering his body. We toured the mail car and learned how the rails were used to carry the mail. The great hall has a beautiful floral exhibit which makes a great spot for taking pictures. Onward to see the statue of Ben Franklin-first postmaster general. I remember seeing his working Post Office in Philadelphia and it is the only Post office in the country that carries a postal seal that you can't get anywhere else. However, I was most interested in seeing the Pony Express since I learned so much about it in my history classes. FYI-you are not allowed to bring food or drink into the galleries. We went into the gallery and I was amazed that during Colonial times people met at the Taverns not only to socialize but collect their mail there. As we explored some more of this gallery we found the Pony Express. I learned about the famous route that went from St Joseph, Missouri to Sacramento, California that took 10 days. It was short lived lasting only 18 months but became synonymous with the Old West. I loved seeing the exhibits here and especially the saddlebag holding the mail that had to be switched from rider to rider each stop along the way. Our last stop was the gift shop. There are stuffed Owney dogs for children as well as books,post cards, famous historical personage stamps, mail trucks, and things used for stamp collecting. I was trying to find Mr. Rogers stamp but was told that is a present day stamp and I couldn't get it here. There also isn't anything related to the Hamilton exhibit but I got away with a few items meaningful to me. Their website really isn't that informative and not having anyone at information desk to help us made this visit a bit tedious for us but weighing the good against the bad the museum is definitely worth a second look. Best of all it is free admission and you can grab a bite over at Union Station right across the street. This is indeed another hidden gem people tend to overlook but it's wonderful to learn about the history of the Post Office, utilize the interactive exhibits and have friendly staff people on hand to help you find what you are looking for.

I love this place since there wasn't a huge line outside. Exhibits are informative and interactive. The free stamps and post cards were great for nerds and collectors. Gift shop sells all postage or post office souvenirs. There is a full service post office inside.

OK, I am going to give you a disclaimer here: I'm a nerd. Yes, you read that right. I am a nerd and I am proud of it. So when I found myself entering the doors to the National Postal Museum, I was entering a little piece of heaven. I was intrigued because I had a stamp collection growing up and I remember how much time and dedication it took to sift through the stamps and find the proper placing for them. This museum brought back all those memories, maybe because of how painstakingly this place was put together. You could spend hours here searching through the pull out drawers and discovering how stamps have evolved over the years. Or you could take in all the exhibits on how the mail system works. From the gold old post office to the Pony Express right down to the internet. This museum spans a large era that it may take some time to wrap your head around it. I honestly wish I had more time to go through here, but I am mostly happy that I didn't get it all in. It gives me a reason to return. When it came time for me to leave I most definitely hit up the gift shop. I rummaged through everything to find something to bring home. I took a sack of stamps, some first edition stamped envelopes and of course post cards. The lady in the gift shop was so nice and inquisitive. She asked each person where they were from and somehow was able to come up with an interesting postal related fact about that area. This place was so enjoyable to me that when I got home, I ordered myself a brand new stamp collecting set. So, as I said before, nerd alert. I know what my nights will consist of in the future. OHHHHHHHHHH, look at that, this is my 1,500th review!!!! How time flies when you are documenting your travels.

Great little activity to do for a few hours on a cold AF day conveniently located just steps away from one of the union station exits (follow the signs in the metro). I came here specifically to see the post secret exhibit before it moved out of town in January. Loved the exhibit and the rest of the museum was some interesting fun facts about the USPS you never needed to know. The building has some nice architecture and I'm sure this is a dream for any stamp collector.

Bottom Line: I have never been so excited about other people's mail! This museum is first class. Alright ladies, brace yourself for the sexiest male review ever! Err, make that a mail review. And actually, this review and the museum is family friendly. So many times the United States Post Service has failed me but what hasn't ever failed me is one of Washington, DC's best kept secrets - the National Postal Museum! The collection here includes over six million stamps, letters and associated memorabilia. The stamp collection here is the largest in the world and absolutely mind blowing. Not only is the collection voluminous, its also well displayed and you could spend hours alone just researching stamps. However, I recommend starting downstairs in the main exhibit hall. In the main exhibit hall, juxtaposition to tiny postage stamps you'll find some huge artifacts like three airmail planes, a mail truck tractor trailer, two mail delivery cars and a mail sorting rail car. Of course these huge pieces will immediately grab your attention, but equally awesome are the exhibits. There is information about the postal service from inception to modern day. Some of the exhibits are even interactive and will be appealing to kids and adults alike. I have learned that I'll never get a job entering zip codes for mail sorting or sorting mail on a rail car. While the downstairs portion of the majority of the museum contains the largest volume of artifacts, there is more to see upstairs! The stamp collection is upstairs including the most famous stamp ever - the Inverted Jenny. Also, you can find the brown envelope in which the priceless Hope Diamond was shipped. Crazy. The museum is housed in the historic D.C. City Post Office and the Postmaster General's office largely reflects how it looked in 1914 and contains a rotating visit. (Currently a surprisingly intriguing exhibit about the relationship between the post office, stamps and National Parks.) The museum has a nice, although kinda small, gift shop on the lower level. For food and drinks, its a quick walk across the street to Union Station which has many eateries. As a final note, there is lots of historic postal related things in DC which can be confusing so here is the breakdown: 1. The National Postal Museum is part of the Smithsonian Institution and is located next to Union Station. 2. The Old Post Office has a famous pavilion and bell tower. However it is popularly known as being the Trump Hotel. (Penn Ave. NW and 12th St. NW) 3. The General Post Office is now Kimpton's Hotel Monaco located in the Penn Quarter/Chinatown (F and 7th Streets NW) (As Seen on TV: Travel Channel's Mysteries at the Museum)

The National Postal Museum is a MUST if you're in DC with kids. It's by far the most interactive museum in DC and the museum where you'll walk away with the most free stuff. AND IT'S COMPLETELY FREE! Here's what makes it the best kid friendly museum in DC: 1) Exhibits: The museum did an excellent of taking a topic that could be very dry (the US Postal System) and brought it to life through interactive exhibits. You can design your own stamp, search for stamps you can keep, and see how fast you are at sorting mail. 2) Architecture: The museum is set up in a breath taking way. The building itself is historic and very Roman like. Make sure you look up as you go through the museum to see ceilings decorated with life sized stamps and airplanes. 3) History: Surprisingly, the museum houses some historical items you'd imagine would be at a more prominent museum. They have America's first stamps and even Amelia Earhart's flight suit on display. The National Postal Museum is off the beaten path from The National Mall, but it's well worth a visit if you have kids. Heck, it's really fun even if you don't have kids!

I love that like most museums in D.C. this one is also free admission. It's pretty cool getting to see the history of the United States Postal Service from its meager beginnings to where we are now in this modern age. There were so many neat stamps on display to check out. Also, should you need to mail anything, there is a working post office inside.

This museum was really interesting. I actually stumbled upon it by accident. It is located across the street from Union Station, which is where I was headed. As the name implies, this museum houses a history of the United States Postal Service. Inside, you will see many interesting remnants of the past. These includes stamps, mailboxes, mail trucks and wagons, and old advertisements and posters from throughout history. They also have some displays for postal services from other countries. There are many interactive exhibits that are great for kids and best of all, admission is free.

I'm a huuuuge fan of this museum. My friend and I went on a Saturday afternoon and we took our time going through the handful of interactive exhibits. Admission is free. My favorite part of the museum was the "stamp salon," where every patron is welcome to take up to six stamps to start a stamp collection of their own. I didn't know what "philately" was prior to coming to this museum but I walked away learning so much about our Postal System and how it has affected the lives of so many people around the world.

Where else are you ever going to see the the Upside down Jenny stamp? Seriously . . . . where? The first time I came here I didn't know what to expect . . . . except for stamps of course. But now I think of it as the museum of things I didn't know that I wanted to know . . . . but do! Things I never thought about like the history of the Zip Code or the technology behind reading our horrible handwriting on envelopes. And a recent renovation has made the stamp collection more accessible. I HIGHLY recommend checking it out.