Over 70 collectors showcased everything from Simpsons' toys and spatulas to political buttons and World War II memorabilia Saturday at the Florida Natural History Museum's 30th Annual Collectors Day.
Saturday's event took over both the inside and outside of the museum, as collectors sat behind eight-foot-long tables filled with prized possessions, while the largest collection of restored automobiles packed the circular driveway.
The event was created to highlight how collections are the foundation of a museum, said Tiffany Ireland, the museum's education assistant.
Co-coordinator of the event, Kelly Donovan, agreed.
"(Collecting is) a science, but it doesn't have to be stuffy," said Donovan.
While some displays held more traditional treasures such as stamps and bibles, others were dedicated to pop culture icons.
Light sabers and a Darth Vader mask made up Christina and Sean Geiger's collection, for example.
The couple, who met at a Star Wars convention, now has a collection valued at about $50,000.
"People say our house is a Star Wars museum," Christina Geiger said.
Other collections were a little more rare.
Bonnie Bernau sat behind a table filled with various figures of armadillos.
Bernau has been collecting them since 1981, after she struggled through a difficult time in her life.
"It's a metaphor for taking care of yourself," said Bernau, who has a tin full of a crushed armadillo shell taken from a Georgian roadside. "I always remember not to get squashed on the highway of life."
Don Dekeid, 68, who has attended Collectors Day for a number of years, said he enjoys the stories behind the collections.
"It gives you an exposure to people's interests and what they've done over the years," he said.
