“Psst. Have you heard about the lion-headed mailboxes?” They are just one of the many fascinating objects inside the Museo Postal y Telegráfico. This museum is dedicated to the history of postal and telegraphic communications in Spain. It is a journey through time.
The Museo Postal y Telegráfico reveals the evolution of how Spaniards communicated. From the earliest postal systems to the advent of the telegraph, and telephone the museum has it all. The Museo Postal y Telegráfico explores how messages were sent and received. Postal history, Spanish philately, telegraphy and telephony are all well-represented here.
Originally, the Museo Postal y Telegráfico started as the Museo de Telégrafos in 1865. It was first located on Calle Ancha de San Bernardo. The collections moved to the old Casa de Postas in 1879. In 1904, efforts began to recover historical and artistic items related to post and telegraphs. Finally in 1909 the museum was established in the Casa de Correos.
King Alfonso XIII inaugurated the Palacio de Comunicaciones in 1919. The museum’s collections were moved to this new building. The Museo Postal y Telegráfico finally opened to the public in 1980. In 2006, it moved to its current location in Aravaca with the name Museo Postal y Telegráfico.
Inside the Museo Postal y Telegráfico, you’ll find varied collections. The philatelic collection is impressive. It includes pre-stamp postal history. There is also a collection of early Spanish stamps. The museum also showcases telegraphy from its early days. Telephony exhibits take you from the first phones to the 1920s.
The Museo Postal y Telegráfico has seven themed rooms. The Postal History Room displays mailboxes from the 19th and 20th centuries. Look for the lion-headed mailboxes that symbolized mail security. The Uniforms Room shows postal worker outfits. See the metal bugle used to announce mail arrival. The Philately Room features the world’s first stamp. It is the British Penny Black. Also discover Spain’s first stamp. It portrayed Queen Isabel II.
The Honorary Postmen Room displays items from Mariano Pardo de Figueroa, Camilo José Cela, and Queen Sofía of Greece. The Telegraphy Rooms display telegraph machines. There is equipment from optical and electrical telegraphy. The Telephony Room has telephones from 1882 to 1924.
Don’t miss the Museo Postal y Telegráfico library. Founded in 1876, it is Spain’s only specialized library. It holds documents dating back to the 17th century. The library also has a photography and cartography archive.
The Museo Postal y Telegráfico is more than stamps and old phones. It is the story of how Spain connected. It is a story of innovation and communication. Take a step back in time. Explore the fascinating world of postal and telegraphic history.