Boston 2026 World Expo — Stamp Exhibits

Boston’s Seaport will host the Boston 2026 World Stamp Show starting Saturday, May 23, in an eight-day exhibition tied to America’s 250th anniversary. Meet Boston lists the event at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, 415 Summer Street, with free admission through May 30. The U.S. Postal Service is sponsoring the show, which organizers describe as a global philatelic exhibition with exhibits, dealers, postal administrations, meetings and children’s activities. USPS said it will also use the Boston show to issue six new stamp releases during the week. ### When does the stamp show actually start, and how long does it run? May 23 is the opening day, according to both Meet Boston and the show’s registration page. The event runs through Saturday, May 30, not just over Memorial Day weekend. The Boston 2026 registration page lists an opening ceremony at 9 a.m. on May 23. Show-floor hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Saturday through Friday, with a shorter 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. schedule on Saturday, May 30. ### Where is it, and what will visitors find inside? The Boston Convention and Exhibition Center at 415 Summer Street is the venue for the full run of the event. Meet Boston says the exhibition covers 352,000 contiguous square feet. About 3,500 frames will be devoted to the FIP-sanctioned competitive exhibition, Meet Boston says, alongside special exhibits, Court of Honor displays and a literature competition. The same listing says the show will also include a large dealer bourse, an extensive postal administration bourse and participation from philatelic societies from around the world. The Boston 2026 registration page says attendees can expect more than 1,000 displays and more than 300 presentations. It says many of those presentations are provided by the Smithsonian Institution. ### Is this only for serious collectors? Meet Boston says the show includes beginners’ and children’s areas, free stamps for kids and activities including Lego displays. The listing describes the event as open to “all ages and all stamp collecting interests.” The Boston 2026 registration page says the event is aimed not only at collectors but also at people interested in history, geography and art. It says youth walk-ins are welcome and notes self-guided and docent-led activities for children. ### What is USPS doing at the show? The U.S. Postal Service said in a May 14 Postal Bulletin notice that it will issue six new stamp releases during the Boston exposition. The first-day-of-issue schedule starts May 23 with “Treasures of the Revolutionary Era,” followed by the Stamp Encore contest winner on May 24 and the “American Bison” issue on May 25. USPS said additional issues are scheduled for May 26, May 27 and May 28, including “Postcrossing,” “International Peace” and “North American Soccer.” The agency said all USPS ceremonies at the show are free and open to the public. ### How large is the exhibition program? A published exhibit list shows entries from multiple countries and across categories including traditional philately, postal history, thematic philately, youth exhibits and literature. The accepted entries include exhibitors from Argentina and Australia, among other countries, underscoring the international scope of the show. The American Philatelic Society said it will run booth activities, programs and member events during the exhibition. Its Boston 2026 page says the group is aiming to add 250 new members during the show and will offer demonstrations, giveaways and youth programming. ### Where can visitors check schedules and plan the trip? Meet Boston’s event page carries the public-facing overview, including dates, location and admission details. The Boston 2026 registration site says pre-registration has closed, but attendees can still register on arrival to save time at the registration booth. The Boston 2026 site also says the schedule of events is open and now lists more than 375 events. Scout merit badge workshops are scheduled for May 24, May 25 and May 30, while a coin-collecting merit badge workshop is set for May 23 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.