The Postal Museum at the Smithsonian is having a great event on Saturday, May 29th if you happen to be in the D.C. area. Pen Collectors of America is co-sponsoring an event called Pens and the Post from 11am - 5pm, with lots of exhibits and workshops for those in attendance - all for the price of free! Here are some of the details, and you can find more at the Postal Museum website:
Pens, postage, and mail have long gone hand-in-hand. Join the Postal Museum and the Pen Collectors of America for a day of fun activities exploring the history of pens and mail. Learn about letter writing past and present with many fun activities:
- Create a beautiful card with young designer Sophia Breuer
- Watch calligraphy demonstrations by expert calligrapher Deborah Basel and take home your name in beautiful Copperplate calligraphy style
- Take a fancy fountain pen for a spin at the “Pen Petting Zoo” provided by Fahrney’s Pens
- Discover how ink has changed over the years and sample a rainbow of ink colors withJohn Bosley, author of Vintage Inks
- Explore the pen-to-paper relationship and try out beautiful papers from plain to posh with handwriting specialist Nan Barchowsky
- Pen a letter to U.S. military members and learn about World War II era correspondence just in time for Memorial Day
- Tell the world your correspondence, mail, or pen story at the “Pen Postings” board or give a shout out to your favorite pen
- Meet the Pen Collectors of America and find out more about the community of pen collectors who are so passionate about fountain pens, their history, and manufacture.
Special mini-workshops will encourage deeper exploration of special topics from the fun of pen collecting to improving your penmanship. Each workshop includes a hands-on activity, opportunities to ask questions, and the chance to learn from the experts!
11:30 a.m. – Pens for Kids Workshop presented by the Pen Collectors of America
12:30 p.m. – Cursive for Kids Workshop presented by Fahrney’s Pens
1:30 p.m. – Pens for Kids Workshop presented by the Pen Collectors of America
2:30 p.m. – The Glory of Pen Collecting presented by the Pen Collectors of America
