SAN ANTONIO – For Alamo fans who’ve been waiting for this moment all their lives, officials have finally showcased a preview of the “Phil Collins Collection.”
The Alamo displayed a preview of the collection, filled with artifacts donated by musician and Alamo enthusiast Phil Collins, starting on Texas Independence Day on Tuesday.
The temporary exhibit, which includes a brass cannon used by the Mexican Army during the battle, will be on display until April 25.
“We are beyond excited to finally share some of the amazing artifacts Mr. Collins so generously donated,” Kristi Miller Nichols, director of Archaeology, Collections, and Historical Research at the Alamo, said in a news release.
“The public has been very interested in seeing the Collins Collection. It has been an honor to care for and preserve these artifacts over the years. Personally, I cannot wait to share these items with the public that have been so inspiring to us and we hope our visitors have the same feelings.”
The exhibit also includes the original battle orders from Gen. Antonio López de Santa Anna and “more precious historic artifacts” from the 1836 Battle of the Alamo.
The singer donated his collections of more than 200 artifacts to the Texas General Land Office in 2014.
At the time, Collins told KSAT that he decided to donate his collection because it “was outgrowing me.”
He said Alamo officials suggested to him that they would “like to have it.”
“It seemed like the perfect thing to do because a lot of these things have not been here since the battle,” he told KSAT, adding that he had “a lot of fun collecting it.”
The full exhibit will be on display once the Alamo Exhibition Hall & Collections Building opens. It is expected to open in spring 2022.
Artifacts have been added to the Phil Collins Collection over the years, Alamo officials said in the release.
Visitors can see the preview exhibit in the Alamo Exhibit Hall for free on Tuesday in honor of Texas Independence Day.
After Tuesday, it will be available for guests who purchase an audio tour for $7 a person.
Visitors can book their visit on theAlamo.org, or in-person at the Alamo Welcome Center.
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