The British Postal Museum & Archive

Royal Mail holds a unique and important place in history.

From the signature stamp of novelist Anthony Trollope – who worked for the Post Office for 33 years from 1834 – to historic maps, classic posters and even a five-wheeled 'pentacycle', the BPMA collection contains a fascinating variety of artefacts and records.

Travel through nearly 500 years of history on our interactive timeline. 

Royal Mail holds a unique and important place in history. We are delighted to be supporting Britain’s postal heritage by funding the BPMA and supporting the recently announced move to Calthorpe House, in London’s Mount Pleasant, where the country’s oldest mail centre is located.

This will enable the foundation of a new Postal Museum to house the BPMA’s collections – including the Royal Mail archives.

As a result, the human story of communication, industry and innovation – which continues today through the work of Royal Mail Group – will be more accessible to the wider public.

To find out more about Royal Mail Group's work with the British Postal Museum and Archive click on  Annual Report on Postal Heritage 2011-12 (PDF 2.33MB)  to view or download our latest report.

Did you know?

You can visit the BPMA in London to use the Royal Mail Archive. If you’re researching your family history, for instance, you might find information on ancestors who worked in the postal service. You can also see fascinating objects from our distant (and not-so-distant) past at the BPMA store on special open days.