Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum Launches Worldwide Postage Stamp Album

The National Postal Museum’s new William H. Gross Stamp Gallery exhibit of “A Stamp for Every Country” has inspired the creation of a new worldwide postage stamp album. The album can be downloaded directly from the museum’s website and invites anyone to start their own collection of almost 800 stamps—one from every country in the world that has produced stamps, including many countries that no longer exist and selected stamp-issuing entities.

The album encourages current or new collectors to explore and collect stamps from ancestral homelands, countries visited or geographic areas of interest. Adding stamps to the album provides a great way to trace the history of a country or region. “Millions of people around the world enjoy the  hobby of stamp collecting,” said Allen Kane, director of the museum. “We hope this album provides incentive for new collectors to begin enjoying this incredible hobby.”

Collecting postage stamps as a hobby has fascinated many people worldwide. Whether an exercise in learning geography and history, a stress-buster after a hard day on the job, a miniature gallery in the world of art or a way to document a vacation, stamp collecting offers many ways for individuals and families to collect and find enjoyment.

“Whether you download one continent or the entire world to print at home, this free stamp album offers easy and affordable access to the education and enjoyment of philately,” said Cheryl R. Ganz, the museum’s chief curator of philately. “Select one stamp of your choice for each country and your global adventure begins.”

The National Postal Museum is devoted to presenting the colorful and engaging history of the nation’s mail service and showcasing one of the largest and most comprehensive collections of stamps and philatelic material in the world. It is located at 2 Massachusetts Avenue N.E., Washington, D.C., across from Union Station. The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (closed Dec. 25). For more information about the Smithsonian, call (202) 633-1000 or visit the museum website at www.postalmuseum.si.edu.

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