Postage stamps are not only functional as a form of payment to send mail, but they are also small works of art and historical documents. These miniature masterpieces reflect the time in which they were made. While each stamp design might be a bit different, we can use the following elements of a stamp to “read” or analyze it and gain deeper meaning from it!

At the National Postal Museum, we have some tips and tricks to help analyze and read these miniature works. In this Learning Lab collection, we'll take a closer look at a selection of stamps and break down the elements that we use to gain deeper understanding of these objects. When reading a stamp, you don’t need to analyze every element in this collection. Pick and choose which elements are the most helpful to you!