Mauritius 08/11/04

Registered cover from Mauritius, posted on November 4, 2008.

Tasneem sent me this beautiful cover; she used a special commemorative cover, which celebrates the inauguration of the new postal museum on July 23, 2008.

The Postal Museum was formerly housed in the Post Office Headquartes Building, Port Louis and was inaugurated on the 10th March 1995. It is being relocated in the prominent Post Office Building, waterfront, Port Louis in a newly designed set up.

The Postal Museum traces the evolution of the Postal History of Mauritius from Colonial times to the present. Apart from stamps and other exhibits, visitors will see postal equipment and tools which were formerly used. It also hosts a temporary exhibition hall and a stamp gallery which will display along with stamps from Mauritius, those issued by the member countries of the Universal Postal Union (UPU).

The illustration on the cover shows the historical Post Office building and the logo of the Mauritius Postal Museum.

(sleeve text of the cover)

The left stamp was issued in 1997 and is part of a series commemorating 150 years of Mauritius stamps.

The right stamp was issued in 2007. It depicts the dodo (Raphus cucullatus), an flightless bird, which was endemic to Mauritius. It has been extinct since the late 17th century due to human predation.

Tasneem has posted this special cover with an Rs 78 automat label. Thank you very much for this beautiful cover!