In 2025, the National Postal Museum, in partnership with the United States Postal Service, will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the postal service, which will serve as a precursor to the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026.
Under the Smithsonian Campaign for Our Shared Future, the museum will commemorate these two national events by launching an extensive capital project to renovate its atrium level, which served as the museum’s foundation when it opened in 1993. A much-needed renovation will enable the museum to better present the rich postal history embedded in its collections, restore flow and cohesion among its galleries, and meet the needs of contemporary and diverse audiences.
Additionally, the National Postal Museum recently launched digital engagement and digitization campaigns to make our collections and expertise more discoverable and accessible, and to expand our reach. The National Postal Museum currently has the second largest collection of all Smithsonian museums, comprising 6 million objects, but less than 3% of museum objects have been digitized. Funds raised through the Smithsonian Campaign for Our Shared Future will be used to create digital records of thousands of objects, contract digitization catalogers and expand virtual programming, among other priorities.