A Community Resource and National Treasure
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Upcoming EventS:
SAVE THESE DATES – LET US KNOW IF YOU WILL BE JOINING US!
walpex stamp show
Saturday Oct. 25 and Sunday, October 26
Hours: Saturday: 10 – 6 and Sunday: 9 – 3
We welcome you to attend WALPEX 2025 philatelic show to be held at the Boxboro Regency Hotel and Conference Center (242 Adams Place in Boxborough, MA); the show features:
~50+ dealer tables of stamps, covers, and supplies
~30+ non-competitive philatelic exhibits
~Show Covers with Custom Cancellation
~Special Hourly Door Prizes
~USPS Kiosk
~Youth Activities Room
~The Phabulous Phishbowl
~Boston 2026 International Show Table
Air Mail in the early 20th Century — a history
Thursday, October 16 at 7PM
FREE admission
Donations encouraged
Join American Air Mail Society President David S. Ball and Spellman Museum Executive Director Brian Howard for an engaging presentation on U.S. Air Mail history!
Check out the museum’s Google calendar for all upcoming events, activities, and meetings:
Surplus Book Sale
Our surplus of philatelic books is regularly updated with new arrivals!
Check out our available inventory:
U.S., Canada, and United Nations Philately Titles
Foreign and General Interest Philately Titles
To place an order, call us at 781-768-8367, stop in, or email us at store@spellmanmuseum.org with your list. We’ll reserve your titles and calculate shipping.
Check out our other books, supplies, and specials at our online store. Thank you for your interest!
phi·lat·e·ly
/fəˈladlē/
noun the collection and study of postage stamps.
As defined by Oxford Languages
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Stamps tell stories and reflect the history of the postal service. They are miniature windows into society, culture, and identity. The Spellman Museum features extraordinary exhibits that illustrate national and world history, social movements, pioneers, and human achievement, connecting visitors with the shared human experience through stamps.
Stamp collecting has been around as long as stamps have existed. Stamps provide relevant and artful content highlighting arts, culture, biography, architecture, prominent individuals, world leaders, science, as well current events, major milestones and nature.
While their primary purpose has been to pre-pay for the transportation and delivery of mail, stamps have also helped to highlight shared values and experiences, and to promote human achievements, around the world.
The world’s first postage stamp was the Penny Black. Invented in 1840 by Sir Rowland Hill, a British administrator and educator, principally known for his development of the modern postal service, postage stamps would quickly be adopted internationally.
