National Postal Museum To Host Family Day With Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob SquarePants

The Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum is hosting Family Day with Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob SquarePants Saturday, June 25. This festival is inspired by the 2013 “SpongeBob MailPants” partnership between Nickelodeon and the U.S. Postal Service, a scholastic letter-writing program that used SpongeBob to show kids the fun of writing, sending and receiving mail.

The museum will offer a variety of educational and interactive experiences throughout the day, providing visitors of all ages opportunities to learn, engage and have fun. All activities are complimentary and offered on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Meet SpongeBob SquarePants—The world’s most lovable sponge will be available to meet and greet his friends at the museum. SpongeBob will be in the atrium at regular intervals for pictures throughout the day, dressed in an extra-special pair of mail pants. (The SpongeBob SquarePants costume character will not be available all hours of the event.)

“Greetings From Bikini Bottom” Post Card Writing Station—The museum will be providing special pre-paid SpongeBob SquarePants postcards. Visitors are encouraged to send notes to friends and loved ones describing their fabulous “beach” trip, or just a simple hello.

SpongeBob SquarePants Episode Screenings—Visitors can curl up in a big, squishy beanbag and enjoy screenings of classic SpongeBob SquarePants episodes, as well as a brand new, never-before-seen episode. Episodes will be shown every hour, on the half-hour.

Beach Games—Visitors can experience one of SpongeBob and his friend Patrick’s favorite pastimes—jelly fishing. And in a fun take on a popular classic, visitors can also try their hand at a dolphin ring toss. (Prizes available while supplies last.)

National Zoo Corner—Though he more closely resembles a kitchen sponge, SpongeBob is actually based on a sea sponge. Visitors can learn more about deep-sea life with Friends of the National Zoo (FONZ), who will share information about SpongeBob’s real-life, underwater counterparts.

SpongeBob SquarePants Photo Booth—Visitors can document their experience by posing in a custom SpongeBob SquarePants photo booth. Guests are welcome to take home their printed photos, which will feature a Bikini Bottom motif.

Sand Castle Station—SpongeBob lives in a pineapple, and Patrick lives under a rock. But what is really found on the ocean floor? Sand. Visitors can get their hands dirty by building SpongeBob a new Bikini Bottom home using kinetic sand. 

Coral Reef Community Mural—The museum will have special supplies for kids to make a unique contribution to a large community mural. They can decorate a fish, mammal or other sea creature and choose a comfy spot for it to live.

Stamp Collecting Station—Visitors can select up to six free stamps to create their own topical stamp collection. Museum staff and volunteers will help children find stamps related to the ocean, wildlife, cartoon characters or other popular categories.

Family Day with Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob SquarePants also celebrates the induction of a special-edition SpongeBob SquarePants mailbox into the museum’s education collection June 24. The Postal Service stationed 30 of these colorful mailboxes throughout 13 U.S. cities in 2013 through 2014 as part of the SpongeBob MailPants program.

Viacom is the sole sponsor of the event.

About the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum

The National Postal Museum is devoted to presenting the colorful and engaging history of the nation’s mail service and showcasing one of the largest and most comprehensive collections of stamps and philatelic material in the world. It is located at 2 Massachusetts Ave. N.E., Washington, D.C., across from Union Station. The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (closed Dec. 25). For more information about the Smithsonian, call (202) 633-1000 or visit the museum website at www.postalmuseum.si.edu.                                 

# # #

SI-298-2016