LOCAL LINKS: Collectors’ Corner Museum
In a small corner of the city, nestled next to a gas station on John Adams Pkwy, you’ll find Collectors’ Corner Museum. There you’ll find Jim and Nida’s love on full display, as it was their passion for collecting that brought them together.
"It was just magic and we're still together after 61 years,” Nida said.
“She collects what she loves, I collect what I love, and we help each other out,” Jim added.
The couple opened the museum in 2003, with more than 125 collections on display. Some of the items have been donated, but most of what you’ll find has been discovered by the Gyorfy’s.
Nida says her collection started with Nancy Ann Storybook Dolls, while Jim’s collection has been centered around stamps and military memorabilia.
“The reason these military collections are so important to me is that most of it comes from friends and family… some who are no longer with us,” Jim said.
The museum features quite a bit of traditional collections, such as antiques, coins, and postcards, but there are also more interesting finds throughout the building. There’s a PEZ Candy collection, Disney’s Pixar display, Beanie Babies, and an entire room dedicated to Barbie.
“We have more than 400 examples of barbie from 1959 forward,” Nida said. “We like to joke that Barbie can’t keep down a job.”
The most compelling displays are found in the museum’s feature room, which the couple rotates a few times a year.
“People will say, ‘well you have everything’… no we don’t,” Jim said. “There’s so much more out there in the world that has yet to be discovered.”
People are slowly discovering Collectors’ Corner Museum as more and more reviews are posted on travel websites such as Tripadvisor and RoadsideAmerica. Many of the reviews mention that the “real collection” comes from the knowledge and stories that the Gyorfy’s share.
“We get to meet people from all over the world, a lot of nice people,” Jim said. “And sometimes they wind up sending us something from their own collection after returning home.”
"It's humbling that they think enough of a visit to send something here with a note that says it belongs here,” Nida said.
To find out more about Collectors' Corner Museum, click here.
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