Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum

You get six free stamps with every visit, it’s truly a stamp collector’s paradise. From the Pony Express to FedEx, the free-to-enter museum is all about the history of the postal service in America, even during colonial times.

There’s lots to see and learn, but too many exhibits require visitors to pull it out from a shelf. It should display everything in glass in a dark room to minimize contact and make it a more efficient viewing experience. The rail car is a nice touch but I wish I could sit behind the wheel of a postal van.

There’s also a gallery missing on the cultural impact of postal services. Beyond delivering newspapers and Sears orders, it helped influence children’s shows like Postman Pat and movies like The Postman. Great for kids, educational for adults, and one of my favorite Washington, D.C. museums because it’s not on the National Mall and not crowded.