The Postal Museum has opened its doors to the public for the first time in the UK capital, marking theĀ end of a year-and-a-half-long project to convert a disused printing factory in Clerkenwell in London into the new museum site, and to bring the Post Office’s disused ‘Mail Rail’ tunnels back to life as a ride for the first time in their 100-year history.
The museum contains five zones which take visitors through five centuries of postal history and curiosities, and provide a different view on some of the world’s most significant historical events. Each zone contains interactive exhibits designed to bring the story behind the post to life, including the tale of an escaped circus lioness attacking a Mail coach.
Adrian Steel, director of The Postal Museum, said, “We are absolutely delighted to welcome our first visitors to The Postal Museum. We’re anticipating an extremely busy first month, with lots of fun activities planned for families. Then, on Monday, September 4, Mail Rail trains will depart for the first time Ā a truly historic moment for London.
“The museum itself opens up the chance for people to gain an insight into some of the quirky social history behind an incredible British invention Ā the post, while Mail Rail affords people a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore a slice of subterranean London, previously hidden from public view.”
The Mail Rail exhibition and experience will open on September 4, offering visitors the chance to ride a locomotive through the underground tunnels where mail once traveled across the city and to the wider world.
Read more about The Postal Museum and Mail Rail in the September issue of Postal and Parcel Technology International.
August 2, 2017