Post Office Museum

Those interested in philately might find it of interest to visit the postal museum, which is dedicated to the development of postal services in the kingdom.

Contrary to what you may read on some web sites, the museum is actually housed on the second floor of the main Saudi Post building. (If it is locked, go to the third floor and ask someone to open it up for you.)

 

Here you will find various samples of stamps from around the world together with franking machines, post mark ‘plonkers’ and post boxes.

There are charts showing the workings of the new postal delivery service, which was originally scheduled to have started operations in 2006.

There’s even a Saudi Postman’s uniform (a brown jacket with the SP logo, worn over a thobe) together with a bicycle said to be used for delivering letters. There are old telephones, models of buildings and much else besides.

Of particular interest are the historic post marks dating back to the 1960s – in English, French and Arabic – featuring exhortations such as Support the Palestinam People (sic).

Unfortunately, there are only a very few Saudi stamps on display and none more than a couple of decades old. However, if you are interested in new issues, there is a philatelic department on the fourth floor who will be only too delighted to show you their not inconsiderable collection.

Special issues are released very regularly – sometimes as many as two or three sets in a month in print runs of 50,000. There are two resident graphic artists who design the majority of the nation’s stamps which are printed (with rare exceptions) in Riyadh.

The main Post Office building is situated at the intersection of King Abdul Aziz Road and Omar ibn al Khattab Road, just across the way from the Ministry of Finance. Cameras are not allowed!

24 39.07’ N 46 42.98’ E