The National Philatelic Museum, in

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, was a short-lived, not-for-profit organization that was intended to create awareness of, and offer courses on,

philately Philately (; ) is the study of postage stamps and postal history. It also refers to the collection and appreciation of stamps and other philatelic products. While closely associated with stamp collecting and the study of postage, it is possibl ...

History

This museum was the brainchild of Bernard Davis, a wealthy banker and avid stamp collector. The museum, which was located at

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and Diamond Streets in Philadelphia, opened its doors on December 5, 1948. The museum offered a variety of services, including presentation of exhibits in frames for public viewing and a philatelic library. The museum also hosted numerous philatelic exhibitions held by various philatelic societies. The National Philatelic Museum was unusual in that, in conjunction with nearby

Temple University Temple University (Temple or TU) is a public university, public Commonwealth System of Higher Education, state-related research university in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It was founded in 1884 by the Baptist ministe ...

, it offered courses in philately through its Philatelic Institute. The museum published a total of thirty-six bulletins that contained articles about various aspects of philately, including

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, Airpost, Pan-American,

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, and the American Philatelic Congress. The museum remained in existence for roughly ten years. In 1960, most of its material and equipment were transferred to the new

Spellman Museum of Stamps & Postal History The Spellman Museum of Stamps and Postal History, originally known as the Cardinal Spellman Philatelic Museum, is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the appreciation of diversity through the medium of postage stamps and postal history. ...

References

Publications of the National Philatelic Museum, Philadelphia
{{Authority control Philatelic organizations based in the United States Philatelic museums in the United States Defunct museums in Pennsylvania Museums established in 1948 Museums in Philadelphia 1948 establishments in Pennsylvania