Past Exhibitions | Smithsonian Institution

1856 British Guiana One-Cent Magenta

The world's rarest postage stamp, the 1856 British Guiana One-Cent Magenta, is prominently displayed in the museum’s William H. Gross Stamp Gallery.

June 4, 2015 – December 22, 2019

Postal Museum

2003 Federal Junior Duck Stamp Art Exhibition

The 52 winning entries to the 2003 Federal Junior Duck Stamp state competitions are on view.

July 1, 2003 – August 3, 2003

Postal Museum

A Far Distant Land: Letters from the Mexican War

Letters from Lt. William McKean to his family in Arkansas describe his experiences in the Mexican War (1847-1848).

October 5, 1997 – May 4, 1998

Postal Museum

Alaska Hovercraft

On view is a scale model of the AP.1-88 hovercraft, a 70-foot-long land/water cargo vehicle, used to deliver mail in rural western Alaska.

June 14, 2002 – September 15, 2004

Postal Museum

Alexander Hamilton: Soldier, Secretary, Icon

Explore the extraordinary life of Alexander Hamilton (1755-1804) through original mail sent and signed by him in his role as the first Secretary of the Treasury and through portraits of him and his contemporaries on stamps.

May 25, 2018 – March 3, 2019

Postal Museum

Alphabetilately: An Alphabet of Philately

This exhibition presents an alphabet of philately through 26 topics, in which each letter stands for some aspect of stamp collecting or the sending of mail.

September 26, 2008 – October 12, 2015

Postal Museum

Amelia Earhart's Personal Collection

Portraits of aviator Amelia Earhart tell the story of her career and pay special attention to her work on behalf of women’s rights.

November 12, 2007 – September 21, 2013

Postal Museum

An Historic Collection from the French Revolution and Napoleonic Era

See pre-stamp letters and historic documents that trace the French Revolution and the Age of Napoleon.

December 8, 1995 – May 15, 1997

Postal Museum

Are We There Yet? Vacationing in America

Take a whimsical look at American-style vacationing through this display of 25 postcards from popular destinations and tourist spots.

May 12, 1995 – April 20, 1997

Postal Museum

Art of the Stamp

See 100 original drawings and artworks that were used to create postage stamps, including entries for the famous Elvis stamp design competition.

July 30, 2003 – February 26, 2004

Postal Museum

Art of the Stamp: Lincoln's Bicentennial

The National Postal Museum presents the original artwork for a set of four stamps commemorating the bicentennial of the birth of President Abraham Lincoln.

February 12, 2009 – October 26, 2009

Postal Museum

Art of the Stamp: Owney the Postal Dog

See Bill Bond's original painting used to create the Owney stamp.

July 20, 2011 – August 5, 2012

Postal Museum

Artistic License: The Duck Stamp Story

A rotating selection of objects from the collection of Jeanette Cantrell Rudy sheds light on the Federal Duck Stamp program.

June 28, 1996 – June 30, 2006

Postal Museum

As Precious as Gold

A 42-ounce gold nugget, mining tools, maps, personal items, photographs, and a dog sled used to deliver the mail illustrate the story of the 1897–98 rush for gold in Alaska and the Klondike.

October 7, 1998 – September 9, 2002

Postal Museum

Baseball: America's Homerun

The National Postal Museum presents a blockbuster exhibition exploring America’s national pastime.

April 9, 2022 – January 5, 2025

Postal Museum

Beautiful Blooms: Flowering Plants on Stamps

This exhibition highlights the variety of flowering plants commemorated on US postage stamps during the past 50 years and explores artistic themes that emerged during this period.

October 20, 2017 – July 14, 2019

Postal Museum

Best Wishes: Holiday Greetings from the White House

This special holiday display features Christmas cards from the first families beginning with the Eisenhower administration to 1995.

November 28, 1994 – April 23, 1995

Postal Museum

Chess Stamps

This topical display features stamps that share the theme of chess, including stamps depicting famous chess world champions and traditional chess pieces.

October 21, 1996 – December 15, 1996

Postal Museum

Collecting History: 125 Years of the National Philatelic Collection

The National Postal Museum celebrates the 125th anniversary of its National Philatelic Collection, which predates the museum by more than 100 years, with this exhibition that traces the history of this national treasure.

August 8, 2010 – January 9, 2012

Postal Museum

Colombian Stamps

A collection of 500 stamps represent Columbia's states and the country's history from 1859-1907.

Spring 1997 – May 5, 1998

Postal Museum

Columbus' Voyage of Discovery: The Columbian Series of 1893

See the first large-format commemorative stamps issued in the United States: the 1893 Columbian issues.

March 8, 2001 – May 6, 2002

Postal Museum

Delivering Hope: FDR & Stamps of the Great Depression

Franklin D. Roosevelt, president during the Great Depression, used stamps to communicate with the American people.

September 9, 2009 – June 7, 2010

Postal Museum

Disaster: Response and Recovery

This exhibition reveals how the Postal Service responds to disasters -- natural or manmade -- that dramatically affect everyday life in an instant.

June 27, 2007 – January 25, 2008

Postal Museum

Down with the FRAUDS: Taxation as Consumer Protection

Learn how revenue stamps identified imitation food products and paid for enforcement of new consumer laws starting in the 1870s.

March 12, 1999 – September 10, 1999

Postal Museum

Fakes and Forgeries

Examine philatelic items that have been counterfeited, faked, or forged to defraud the Postal Service or unsuspecting collectors.

February 9, 1996 – October 20, 1996

Postal Museum