National Postal Museum receives $1 million gift from Motorola Foundation

10.30.2007
Press Release

The Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum announced today that it has received a $1 million gift from the Motorola Foundation to support the museum’s upcoming “Systems At Work” exhibition gallery.

“To process, transport and deliver almost half the world’s mail, the U.S. Postal Service has built an infrastructure based on cutting-edge technology,” said museum director Allen Kane. “Now, with this very generous gift from the Motorola Foundation, National Postal Museum visitors can discover the fascinating technology behind their mail.”

Most people are unaware of the roles the postal system has played in American history and its vital contributions to the social and economic structure of the nation today. The “Systems At Work” exhibit will unlock the mystery of the mail by explaining what happens after a letter is dropped into a mailbox. The exhibit will showcase technological advances from the colonial past to the present day and explain the workings of a complex network of mail processing and distribution.

“We want to help people embrace the technology behind the tools they enjoy every day, and we are honored to play this role in bringing the U.S. postal service to life for the American public,” said Motorola Foundation Director Eileen Sweeney.

One of seven new exhibits planned by the museum to showcase the history and future of the postal system, “Systems At Work” adds an emphasis on science and technology to the museum’s public displays.

“We want visitors to understand that the postal service has used a variety of technologies to process mail,” said exhibit curator Allison Marsh. “These technologies have changed over time and will continue to change to meet future challenges in moving the mail.”

Motorola Foundation
The Motorola Foundation is the independent charitable and philanthropic arm of Motorola. With employees located around the globe, Motorola seeks to benefit the communities where it operates. The company achieves this by making strategic grants, forging strong community partnerships, fostering innovation and engaging stakeholders. The Motorola Foundation focuses its funding on education, especially science, technology, engineering and math programming. For more information on Motorola Corporate and Foundation giving, visit www.motorola.com.

National Postal Museum
The National Postal Museum is devoted to presenting the colorful and engaging history of the nation’s mail service and showcasing the largest and most comprehensive collection of stamps and philatelic material in the world. It is located at 2 Massachusetts Ave. N.E., in the Old City Post Office Building across from Union Station. The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. For more information visit the museum’s Web site at postalmuseum.si.edu.

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