The Smithsonian Institution National Postal Museum is located within the historic City Post Office next to Washington, DC’s Union Station. This sophisticated and highly interactive museum is the United States’ first major museum devoted to postal history and philatelic exhibitions. 
 
The design reinforces the Postal Museum’s mission and encourages the visitor not only to stay longer but to return. Exhibition spaces are located around a light-filled atrium on the lower level of the building in what was once the mail processing and distribution center. The museum features five major galleries, a museum shop, a stamp shop and a discovery center. Back-of-house spaces include a 6,000 sf library for philatelic researchers and scholars, a state-of-the-art paper conservation lab and administrative offices.
 
This project was the first Smithsonian Institution museum at that time to be completed on time or on budget. It was opened ahead of schedule and under budget. 

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The William H. Gross Stamp Gallery is the world’s largest gallery dedicated to philately. It’s creation has allowed the Smithsonian Institution the ability to permanently display over 25,000 objects from it’s second most valuable collection. The Gallery educates and inspires people of all ages through thematic and interactive areas of stunning displays. The project includes the Byrne Education Loft made up of classroom spaces for formal and informal instruction, as well as office space for the National Postal Museum and Education Department staff and interns.

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Glen Hopkins served as the Owner’s Program Manager for the project. Working closely with the Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative, we produced and maintained the project master schedules and budgets. We managed the approvals process for portions of the project that required the review and approval of the Commission of Fine Arts, the DC Historic Preservation Office, and the National Capital Planning Commission. The project was completed ahead of schedule and under budget.

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