Museum
Postmuseum
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
Postmuseum is a museum in Stockholm, Sweden.
About Postmuseum
Identity & Mission
The Postmuseum is a state-funded cultural history museum located in Stockholm, Sweden, dedicated to documenting, preserving, and communicating the history and contemporary reality of the Swedish Post. Its primary mission is to serve as 'society's memory' for the Swedish Post, acting as a meeting place where the past, present, and future of Swedish postal services are centered. The museum connects the historical narrative of the Post to the present day, emphasizing the human need for communication across time.
History & Founding
The roots of the institution trace back to 1636 when Axel Oxenstierna founded the Swedish Post Office (Postverket). The museum itself was inaugurated on December 15, 1906, following a postal exhibition organized for the first general Nordic postal officials' meeting in Stockholm in 1903. Initially, the museum occupied seven rooms, but as the Post Office administration moved to the Central Post Office building at Vasagatan, the museum acquired new spaces. From 1906 to 1994, it operated as a state museum under the direct administration of the Post Office, and today it is a state-funded museum supported by its parent organization.
Building & Architecture
The museum is housed in a building located in the 'kvarteret' (quarter) in Stockholm. While the museum was established in 1906, it gained full possession of the entire building in 1939 after the Post Office administration relocated. The building has served as the permanent home for the museum's growing collections since that time. The site also features a specific children's exhibition area called 'Postis', designed to resemble a postal terminal, indicating adaptations within the building for interactive displays.
Collection Highlights
The Postmuseum holds unique collections globally, comprising approximately 18,000 post-historical objects, 5 million philatelic items (stamps), and 90,000 postal items (letters and packages). The archives contain over 300,000 documents and images, including maps, drawings, letters, stamps, posters, and postcards. Notable holdings include the photographic archive of Nils Johansson, who documented postal workers in Sweden and post-war Europe, and a significant collection of mailboxes. The library, founded in 1944 and expanded in 1985, holds around 70,000 volumes and 160 periodicals, making it one of the most extensive of its kind in the world.
Exhibitions & Public Programs
The museum features several permanent exhibitions: 'POST', which traces the development of the Swedish Post from 1636 to the present; 'HEJ!', focusing on communication and the written word; and 'Skattkammaren' (The Treasure Chamber), which explores the history of Swedish stamps. For children, 'Postis' offers an interactive experience simulating sorting and delivering mail. The museum also hosts temporary exhibitions on various themes related to communication and the Post, along with family-oriented programs and events such as the 'Kungaparets Guldbröllop' (Royal Golden Wedding) celebrations.
Significance & Legacy
As a cultural history museum, the Postmuseum is significant for its role in preserving the material and documentary heritage of Sweden's communication infrastructure. Its collections are considered unique in the world, providing a foundational resource for understanding societal changes through the lens of postal history. By maintaining such a vast archive of stamps, letters, and administrative documents, the museum serves as a critical research hub for historians and philatelists, while its public exhibitions make the history of communication accessible to diverse audiences.
Plan your visit
Postmuseum
- Website
- www.postmuseum.se