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Contemporary Collecting

Help us document how communities in the UK use the post to celebrate and stay connected.

Contemporary collecting means gathering items that reflect today’s world, such as modern art, digital work or everyday objects. Collectors and museums collect these pieces to show what life is like today, preserving stories, values and creativity for future generations. Whether it’s a painting, a favourite gadget or something from a memorable experience, these collected items can help tell the story of our time and showcase the diverse voices and stories that make our society. By sharing and saving these treasures, we help future generations understand, connect and enjoy the culture and creativity of our present world.

A set of letters recently donated to The Postal Museum.

Current projects

FAQ

We will take a sample of what is offered. One item can tell many stories, and we have limited space, so we will be in touch to talk about items that we would like to collect.

Some of the items may be displayed in future, but there are no guarantees. We want to present in-depth stories and this won’t be possible to do for some time.

Some may be included in online or social media content. If objects are displayed either online or in person, any sensitive information such as names and addresses will be obscured.

Something to donate?

Visit our We Collect page for more information.

Our policies

Collections Development Policy

The Postal Museum is committed to ensuring our approaches to collecting are considered, respectful and ethical and are aware of our duty of care in undertaking this work. For more information about The Postal Museum’s collecting processes, see our Collections Development Policy (PDF). We are committed to ensuring our collecting is reflective of the UK’s diverse communities and cultures.

Permissions and Copyright

If we select your submission to collect, we will share the full copyright and permission information with you, so you can ensure you are still happy to donate the item and have the correct permission to do so. Should an object be transferred to The Postal Museum’s collection, the museum becomes its legal owner. All submission correspondence are private and will only be seen by The Postal Museum staff.

If you are under 18, please ask for permission from your parent or guardian and ask them to complete the Permissions and Copyright form on your behalf.