Image: The National Postal Museum in Washington DC

Work has now begun on the construction of the new William H Gross Stamp Gallery at the Smithsonian Institution's National Postal Museum (NPM) in Washington DC, US.

The project has been made possible as the result of an US$8m (EUR6.4m, £5.1m) donation from Pacific Investment Management Company co-founder William H Gross.

Clark Construction has been chosen to build the new 12,000sq ft (1,115sq m) gallery, which has been designed by the Smith Group and is due to open in September 2013.

Work will involve transforming the site of the former Capital City Brewery restaurant in the Postal Square building and the creation of six themed areas exploring the history of stamps and the postal system.

Interactive exhibits will allow guests to learn more about the NPM's expansive collection, while there will also be hundreds of pull-out frames containing more than 20,000 objects.

Elsewhere, mezzanine renovations will provide space for the museum's education programme - including a learning loft above the new stamp gallery.

A spokesperson for the NPM said: "When completed, the gallery will be the world's premier museum gallery dedicated to philately.

"The gallery will enable the museum to reach its full potential by dramatically increasing the collection's visibility, advancing its educational mission and reinvigorating public interest in philately."

Details: www.postalmuseum.si.edu

Details: www.postalmuseum.si.edu (Project Details)

Image: Smithsonian National Postal Museum