National Postal Museum050

The Smithsonian National Postal Museum is located on the lower level of the old Post Office Building, which was constructed in 1914 and served as the DC post office from 1914 through 1986. The museum's galleries explore America's postal history from colonial times to the present.

Permanent exhibitions include Binding the Nation, devoted to the early history of mail service from pre-Revolutionary America through the end of the 19th century, and Moving the Mail, which traces the advances in postal transportation technology. This gallery, featured in the museum's centerpiece atrium, displays three airmail planes, a railway car, and a Concord-style stagecoach.

The museum also houses a 6,000-square-foot research library, a stamp store, and a museum shop.

The National Postal Museum does not have a parking lot. Street parking is available near the museum and all-day paid parking is available at Union Station, located next to the museum.