First of all, if you think a visit to the dentist would be more fun than going round the Post Office Museum, we understand, but hear us out, OK?

The Musée de la Poste in Paris was completely renovated in 2019 (a facelift that took four years and 20M€). It’s now a brand new, modern museum (very close to our hotels!) and once you start your visit, it very quickly becomes apparent that over the years the French Post Office has followed or fostered much of the change in society – new means of transport (hot air balloon, horses, trains), new technology (telephones, faxes, the internet), the evolution of women in the workplace, the changes in art and design…

Time to take a look at this wild and wonderful place…

Just to the side of the Montparnasse train station, the Post Office Museum (Musée de la Poste) is housed in a building that was constructed especially for it, inaugurated in December 1973.

The French Post Office celebrated the event by releasing a special edition stamp showing the building’s façade, which is now also restored and, fifty years later, imbued with retro 70s charm.

However, once you enter, all remnants of the 20th century are left behind, and you find yourself in an utterly modern building with intriguing vertical spaces. The museum visit even starts on the top floor and winds back down, giving impressive views from the very start.

In the stairwell you’ll see wireframe sculptures of the various means of transport used to get letters to their addressees over the decades – horse-draw carriages, hot air balloons, bicycles…

The first room shows the beginnings of the postal service, with uniforms, air balloon baskets, planes and of course bikes. It also details the evolution of communication other than the written word, from telegrams to telephones and beyond.

The images produced to document or publicise these endeavours show the fierce pride that was associated with the technological advances, but also serve as proof of how differently they were applied in cities and the countryside, how men were assigned mostly physical jobs (often as postmen) while women were generally left sitting as switchboard operators. 😕

The images surrounding the postal service are often very beautiful, depicting faraway lands or a slightly clichéd French countryside. Postmen became the heroes of films (you might have seen Jour de Fête by Jacques Tati) and comic books. The Post Office’s yearly calendar also reflected the graphical style of the time, and numerous artists were inspired by the adventures of the men and women who worked ceaselessly to get the smallest of envelopes across the world to the people awaiting them.

The company was also a pioneer of laws protecting privacy, making it illegal for anyone to read a letter destined for someone else.

Many exhibits also show how the Post Office reflected the popular design styles of the day, and also encouraged new ones, as attested to by the post offices themselves (check out the beautiful Art Nouveau counter), but also the logos and signs used…

There are some amusing unusual exhibits too, like the explanation of the Paris pneumatic post which was in place from 1868 until as late as 1984! A clip from a François Truffaut film shows the character Antoine Doinel placing his letter in a special postbox before it is sent whooshing off on its way. How times have changed…

Go down a floor, and you’ll find a room showcasing artistic creations inspired by the world of the post office.

There is also a space for temporary exhibitions, a presentation of seemingly every French stamp ever made (together with the time of circulation) and an explication of how stamps are actually designed and printed.

Some images will be familiar only to francophiles, but everyone should appreciate the sparkly postbox covered in glitter…

The visit ends here, but there’s still a floor to go down to where you’ll find… the gift shop and bookshop!

This is where you’ll find the excellent museum catalogue (cheaper than on amazon), other books, bags and objects galore, including tea towels made from recycled / upcycled post bags.

And from here, it’s just one more floor down to reach the entrance, or rather the exit.

This lower level also has a space for workshops and temporary exhibitions (like the current ‘Jouez, Postez !‘), and the museum offers a whole line-up of workshops, guided visits and films for all the family. More info here.

P.S. You can even celebrate your birthday on the premises (as long as you are between 3 and 12 years of age)!

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The Post Office Museum (Musée de la Poste) (here) is open every day except Tuesdays from 11am-6pm (last ticket at 5.15pm)

Admission: 9€ / 5€. A bargain!

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Magnifique timbre dessiné par Christian Guémy (C215) et gravé en taille-douce par Elsa Catelin. Le visage d’un long combat pour l’égalité représenté dans les tons verts, la couleur qui symbolise l’union et la paix sur le drapeau de l’Afrique du Sud. #timbre #stamp https://t.co/KlmvCUN3DA

— Musée de La Poste (@museedelaposte) January 20, 2023