The Smithsonian's National Postal Museum presents it's monumental "Nuestra Quinceañera: A Celebration of Our 15 Years" celebration to mark the museum's 15th anniversary Saturday, March 15, from 1 to 3 p.m.

The National Postal Museum invites people from across the Washington, D.C., community to join in celebrating this seminal birthday during Women's History Month in the spirit of the Quinceañera tradition that marks the transformation to womanhood for Hispanic girls turning 15 years old.

"As the National Postal Museum celebrates its 15th birthday, we want to bring the celebratory thrills that a young lady experience during her Quinceañera to our yearlong commemoration," said K. Allison Wickens, director of education.

The festive event will offer visitors opportunities to design invitations, practice the art of the "thank you note," take salsa dancing lessons, share stories and participate in discussions about career and education development with a panel of Hispanic professionals from the Smithsonian and the U.S. Postal Service. Magdalena Mieri, director of the Program in Latino History and Culture at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, and Alta Rodriguez, manager of the National Diversity Initiatives and the Affirmative Employment Programs at the U.S. Postal Service, will lead this paneled portion of the program. The Postal Museum's collections include recent stamp issues and Quinceañera correspondence that highlight the role of the Postal Service in these celebrations.

The National Postal Museum is devoted to presenting the colorful and engaging history of the nation's mail service and showcasing the largest and most comprehensive collection of stamps and philatelic material in the world. It is located at 2 Massachusetts Ave. N.E., across from Union Station. The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., except Dec. 25. For more information visit the museum's Web site at www.postalmuseum.si.edu.

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