Consider, for a moment, how messages traveled through the Land of Israel. Now, we are standing before the Alexander Museum of Postal History and Philately. It’s a place where the story of communication unfolds. This museum isn’t just about stamps. It’s about history. It’s about social change and political shifts. It is all told through the lens of postage.
The Alexander Museum of Postal History and Philately was founded in 1998. This marked the 50th anniversary of the State of Israel. It was a joint project. The Israel Postal Authority, the Tel Aviv Foundation, and MUZA all collaborated. Zalman Einav designed the museum.
Let’s step inside the Alexander Museum of Postal History and Philately. The ground floor gallery shows the history of postage. It starts in the mid-19th century. This was during the Ottoman period. It continues through the British Mandate. The story ends with the establishment of the state. We see “Doar Ivri” Hebrew Mail stamps. Imagine letters traveling across the land. The museum displays different post offices. See envelopes, letters, and postcards. Seals, posters, and photographs illustrate postal services.
At the center sits a mail truck from 1949. It’s a red Ford model F1. It bears Israel Post’s gazelle logo. Trucks like this delivered mail in Israel’s early days. Look at the collection of telephones. They were used from the 1930s to the 1960s. Don’t miss the Goldschmidt Collection of Airmail of Eretz Israel.
Now, let’s ascend to the mezzanine floor of the Alexander Museum of Postal History and Philately. Here, mailboxes from different periods await. A Morse machine sits ready to tap out messages. A teleprinter stands nearby. Field telephones complete the picture. These show how technology helped send messages. Visitors can use a computer to view Israeli stamps. Notice the wide range of subjects and designs.
The most important exhibit is a Planeta printing press. This press printed the first Israeli stamps. Before that, it printed the “Haaretz” newspaper. It was used for underground printing. This was before Israel’s independence. The country’s name was still unknown then. The stamps feature designs from ancient Hebrew coins. This connects the Jewish people’s history to their rebirth.
Finally, let’s explore the lower level of the Alexander Museum of Postal History and Philately. Here lies the Zvi Alexander Collection. It’s the most important collection of Israel’s postal history. It includes unique philatelic items. These span six centuries. The Josef Jaglom library offers further research. The stamp exhibition wing displays historical collections. It holds every stamp issued in Israel.
The Alexander Museum of Postal History and Philately showcases how communication shaped a nation. From Ottoman post offices to modern stamps, each piece tells a story. It connects us to the past. It reminds us of the power of a simple message.