The new display will open to the public on the 14th February.
The Postal Museum has announced that it will be marking the 40th anniversary of the much-loved children’s book by Janet and Allan Ahlberg with a special exhibition on display from the 14th February until January 2027.
This immersive show will invite visitors of all ages to explore the world that Janet and Allan Ahlberg created. Throughout, there will be original artwork on display – many of which have not been displayed before.
The exhibition will also uncover the story behind the book series through prototypes and early design concepts, seen alongside the everyday stamps, cards and postal uniforms that inspired them. Janet Ahlberg’s sketches will be paired with Allan Ahlberg’s notebooks, offering an unprecedented glimpse into the pair’s creative partnership.
Visitors will be invited to step into the story, peeking inside miniature houses and spotting fairytale friends along the Jolly Postman’s delivery route. This includes wandering through the woods to the Three Bears’ cottage, deliver ‘royal mail’ to Cinderella at the palace or dare to enter the Witch’s house.
Inspired by their young daughter Jessica’s fascination with different letters arriving through the post box, the Ahlbergs dreamt up the idea for a book with real pull-out letters and cards. The innovative design took five years to create and has captured the imagination of multiple generations, selling more than six million copies worldwide. It was followed by two further books, The Jolly Christmas Postman (1991) and The Jolly Pocket Postman (1995), all published by Puffin Books.
Talking about the exhibition, Jessica Ahlberg, daughter of Janet and Allan Ahlberg said: “I can’t wait to see The Jolly Postman celebrated and brought to life at The Postal Museum. The book is full of humour, warmth, and imagination, just like my mum and dad, and I’m delighted that their artwork and ideas will be displayed for others to enjoy.”
The exhibition is included in general admission to The Postal Museum.