(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Collins whos a Grammy and Academy Award winner donated a collection of more than 200 items for display.
Phil Collins on Tuesday handed over his vast collection of artefacts related to the Battle of the Alamo and the Texas Revolution to the state of Texas.
Collins was in San Antonio to donate what’s considered the world’s largest private collection of Alamo artefacts. It includes a fringed leather pouch and a gun used by Davy Crockett Jim Bowie’s legendary knife and letters from garrison commander William B. Travis.
“There’s things in there that will make your mouth drop” Collins said.
The 1980s pop artist and Genesis singer-drummer has joked that he spent all the money he made from music on artefacts related to the 1836 battle in which 1500 Mexican troops laid siege to 200 Texans.
The collection was given to Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson the state steward of the Alamo who is pushing for a new historical centre that would house Collins’ collection.
“Texans are deeply indebted to Phil Collins” Patterson said. “He is giving us back our heritage. Now these Texas treasures need a home where all can see them and study from them and learn about how Texans won our liberty.”
Collins who’s a Grammy and Academy Award winner donated a collection of more than 200 items for display. Five crates full of artefacts were unloaded from a cargo truck on Tuesday.
“This completes the journey for me. I’m 64. When I was 5 or 6 years old this thing began” Collins said of his fascination with the Alamo.
“My 9-year-old son was saying ‘Why are you going to give it all away Dad I thought I was going to have it’” he said with a laugh.
Patterson said it will likely take at least five years to raise the millions of dollars needed to design and build a centre to house and display the collection.
The location of the centre will be decided in about two weeks Patterson said and will likely charge for admission.
“This collection is coming home and it’s going to be very interesting for people to come and see and learn” Collins said. “And this is what it’s all about.”