> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.ipswich.co.uk/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Inside Ipswich's first stamp museum - URL: https://www.ipswich.co.uk/inside-ipswichs-first-stamp-museum/ - Published: 2026-08-20T08:22:16.000Z - Updated: 2026-08-20T08:55:10.000Z - Description: Since opening on Fore Street three months ago, the Ipswich Stamp Museum has been giving residents a reason to look twice at stamps – calling them "miniature pieces of artwork." - Author: Nicola Sebastian - Tags: Long Reads, Business openings and closures, Stamp Museum, Town Centre & Waterfront ## A gallery in miniature Tucked away on the first floor of 28 Fore Street, the Ipswich Stamp Museum opened its doors this May, offering visitors a close-up look at more than a century and a half of British postal history. Behind the project is general manager Michael Vincent Yap, who moved to Ipswich in 2021 after working for a pharmaceutical company in the Philippines. For Yap, the appeal of stamps goes well beyond their practical purpose. "They're like miniature pieces of art work," he says – a philosophy that shapes every corner of the museum. ## History in your pocket The museum's ambition is to display the full British stamp collection, which currently runs to around five thousand pieces. About 30% of the collection is currently up on the walls, spanning stamps dating back to 1840 – the year of the world's first adhesive postage stamp, the Penny Black – through to 2023\. Highlights include a run of Great Britain stamps from 1960 to 1964 and examples from the long-running Machin Definitive series. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/1e/291e4b7f-e551-4458-b546-61963954b22f/content/images/2026/08/IMG_2007-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/1e/291e4b7f-e551-4458-b546-61963954b22f/content/images/2026/08/IMG_2008-3.jpeg) The Stamp Museum is located on 26-28 Fore Street and it is run by general manager, Michael Vincent Yap (Photo: Nicola Sebastian/Ipswich.co.uk) ## Pinkie: a story in miniature Among Yap's favourites in the collection is the Pinkie stamp – a piece with a story stretching back more than two centuries. Pinkie is one of the most famous British portraits, painted in 1794 by Sir Thomas Lawrence. The stamp itself was issued in 1968 as part of Royal Mail's British Paintings commemorative series, which celebrated famous works of art held in British collections. The display was made possible by the museum's founding donor, Mr Robert Charles Bass, who has helped support the collection's expansion. ## Bridging old and new While the stamps themselves belong to an era which seems to be slowly floating away, the visitors experience is anything but traditional. Using QR codes placed alongside the displays, guests can scan and listen to the stories behind individual stamps and artworks while viewing them in person. "We wanted to bridge the physical and digital together," Yap explains – an approach designed to make a traditionally niche hobby more accessible to newcomers, without losing the tactile appeal of the objects themselves. ## Visiting the museum The museum's community stamp wall invites a different kind of engagement. Visitors can pin a stamp to the wall for free, adding their own small contribution to a display that's constantly evolving. The Ipswich Stamp Museum is located on the first floor at 28 Fore Street, Ipswich, IP4 1JL, in a Grade II listed building. As the space is only accessible by stairs, it is not currently wheelchair accessible. The museum is open Wednesday to Saturday, 10:00 to 18:00\. Tickets are available on arrival, priced at £12 for adults and £8 for children aged four to 17, seniors aged 65 and over, and students. ## The bottom line Three months in, the Ipswich Stamp Museum gives the town a new, if niche, addition to its cultural offering – with its founders hoping it will appeal well beyond the philately community. --- **Don't forget:** If you enjoy our content, please [add Ipswich.co.uk as a "preferred source" on Google](https://google.com/preferences/source?q=ipswich.co.uk&ref=ipswich.co.uk) so you can easily find more of the content you value. [Add as a preferred source on Google](https://google.com/preferences/source?q=ipswich.co.uk&ref=ipswich.co.uk) --- ### This article cost us \~£27 to produce It's free for you to read thanks to the generous support of our partners. Please support us by supporting them.