From Hoarder to Curator: Coventry's City Treasures Now a Free Museum!

Scott Duffin is a passionate collector from Coventry who has spent the last five years gathering items that tell the story of his city. His collection became so large that he decided to open a museum called the Coventry Collection. This museum is special because it is made for the people of Coventry, and many of the items have been donated by local residents. Scott says the collection is always growing, and now hundreds of items are on display at the Coventry Market. The museum is free to visit, making it easy for everyone to learn about the city’s history.

The Coventry Collection includes a wide variety of objects. There are old shop signs, medals, coins, clothes, and even things found during bottle digging. Scott has also collected archives from historic city shops, including the entire archive from Charles Ager, Coventry’s oldest shoe shop, which dates back to 1860. There are also plaques from important places like the War Memorial Park and Livingstone Baths, as well as papers showing who was important in the city’s cemetery. Just recently, someone donated a Blitz archive, and another person gave him a piece of an old Coventry tram.

Scott used to keep his collection in different places, like his garage, attic, and a storage unit, but now most of it is in the market. He says there isn’t enough space for the larger items, so he plans to have special exhibitions for them in the future. One of the most unique items is a model of the Golden Cross, the city’s oldest pub, which was made and donated by a 93-year-old man. Scott believes every item in the museum has a story to tell about Coventry and its people. He is proud to share these stories with everyone who visits. The museum is open every day except Thursday and Sunday from 12:30 to 16:30, and Scott hopes more people will come to see the history of their city.