WESTPEX® Youth Activity Area

Santa Clara Room and Foyer on the 2nd Floor during show hours.

Hey, kids! Come visit us at the WESTPEX Youth and Beginners area. We're located in the Santa Clara Room and foyer on the 2nd Floor during show hours. We have lots of activities to help you get started in this fun hobby.

If you are 18 years old or younger, don't miss this special event at WESTPEX.

There are bins of stamps—U.S. and foreign—for you to browse and find stamps that catch your interest. You can learn about different places around the world, famous people, sports, space events, animals, plants, and just about anything else you can think of. All these topics—and more—are on stamps, the tiny pieces of art on paper that people use to send mail. 

Special games and puzzles have been designed to help you learn about the different types of stamps available for collectors. Volunteers will demonstrate how to start and display your own collection. There are prizes, including a drawing for awards of 1000 to 5000 stamps; prizes are mailed if the winner is not present at the show for the drawings.

School groups visit WESTPEX on Friday to learn about stamps through hands-on activities and receive materials to take home. Docents lead students on a tour of the show, showcasing the people who sell stamps and introducing the exhibition where stamp collectors display their special stamps and postal history for awards.

A special Boy Scout merit badge program takes place on Sunday. A local Scout Master, who is an avid stamp collector, leads this session. The program covers the basics of stamp collecting along with the required steps for earning the badge.

Donations of stamps and supplies for the youth program are welcome and acknowledged with a receipt from WESTPEX, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization devoted to promoting the hobby of philately.

For more information, contact our Youth team lead, Phil Kumler.