No matter your age, chances are you’ve collected something along the way. Maybe it was oddly shaped rocks as a child or snow globes from your travels. For Allan Baker OAM, collecting became a lifelong passion. Eventually, that passion led to the Military and Memorabilia Museum Childers. What started as an interest in history has grown into an extraordinary collection, preserving stories and memorabilia from around the world.
We are always told to look for the silver lining and that is what Allan, owner of the Military and Memorabilia Museum, did. While recovering from an accident, Allan began collecting memorabilia from armed forces personnel across the globe. His fascination with military history had started years earlier, inspired by the passionate letters exchanged between his parents during the war
(credit: Bundaberg Photographer Paul Beutel)
One day, while watching television, Allan noticed the intricate patches worn on police uniforms. Determined to preserve these pieces of history, he wrote to cities around the world asking for donations. Before long, Allan’s name began gaining recognition among military history enthusiasts. People started visiting his home to donate uniforms, memorabilia and pieces of their own family history.
Eventually, the collection was bursting at the seams. Allan and his wife, Lorraine, decided it was time to give it a home and opened the Military and Memorabilia Museum. More than 30 years later, Allan’s collection continues to grow.
Today, the museum holds a whopping 62,000 items, with donations from more than 150 countries. Meet the remarkable man behind the collection on your next Childers getaway and discover the stories he’s preserving for generations to come. And who knows? Maybe item 62,001 is hiding in the back of your cupboard.
