SHEBOYGAN — Inside an unassuming Sheboygan home is one of the largest collections of Indiana Jones memorabilia. But the guy who has collected the thousands upon thousands of items, doesn't even call himself an Indiana Jones fan.
“So to set a record straight I am not a fan of these movies. I’m not a fan of Harrison Ford. I’m an Indiana Jones collector," Michael T. Miller, the owner of the Indiana Jones collection, said.
The Sheboygan man considers himself an admirer of both the movie character and the actor but not a fan.
"I really don't prefer the term fan. I don't know why but that word rubs me very wrong," Miller said.
For him, the collection is about horning the movies and the famous on-screen character. Miller remembers his dad laughing at a scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark. As he became more familiar with the movie (and eventual series) he began to relate to not only Indiana Jones but also Harrison Ford. This came at a pivotal time during his life. He was a teenager and trying to figure out who he was.
“At a time when I didn’t know who I was Harrison Ford helped show me who I wanted to be," Miller said.
He added: "I was i wasn't trying to emulate him like oh I want to grow up and be an archaeologist. But it was just the things he did in the movies. How he would act. How he would seem like he was doing the wrong thing but always ended up doing the right thing for the right reasons. I started feeling that connection like, you know, that's a little bit of what I would like to be in my life. I would like to wake up every day, go to bed every night, and be like that's how I lived my life that day, and I thought I would feel really good about that."
He related to the character and actor. It gave him a sense of direction and identity.
The first piece of memorabilia he got was a VHS tape in 1983. However, he didn't truly start collecting until about 1989. For the past three decades, he has been scouring the internet and traveling to pick up new pieces.
“I’m easily on eBay every day whether it’s for 5 minutes or maybe 3 hours," he said.
Don’t ask him how many items he has or how much he has spent. He doesn't know, but he easily has thousands upon thousands of items.
Watch to see what Michael T. Miller's Indiana Jones collection looks like...
“I have no absolutely no idea how many pieces are in this room, How much money I’ve spent. It’s probably a good thing I don’t know.”
Some of the collectibles include LEGO, lottery tickets, Gameboy Games, books in foreign languages, movie posters, action figures, duffle bags, hats, whips, costumes, toy racecars, food packaging, video games, DVDs, VHS tapes, Funko Pops, life-size cutouts, and anything else you could think of. He even has an Indiana Jones tattoo on each of his legs.
I’ve seen big collections like this before. I’ve actually done stories with the Guinness World Record Winnie the Pooh and Smurf collectors. The Indiana Jones collection is definitely comparable. However, Miller isn't concerned with the Guinness World Record. He doesn't keep track of his purchases, and he doesn't catalog his items.
"This is about a very personal connection to the movies and honoring the person that portrayed Indian Jones," he said.
The display room for this collection was deliberately designed for this collection. Miller and his wife decided to move. So, they built their new Sheboygan home and specifically designed a room for the collection. The ceilings are two stories tall to fit all the posters. The second floor even has a balcony to view the display.
In fact, up until recently, there weren't any Indiana Jones items outside of the display room. Everything was behind one door in the house.
“It all seems to belong together. It’s almost like I try to personalize these items like they’re alive. Like they’re real and it’s like he doesn’t want to be out there by himself. He wants to be here with everyone else. He doesn't want to be excluded," he said.
While Miller doesn't keep track of the number of items he has, he won't stop collecting anytime soon. There's still a thrill to finding a new piece of memorabilia.
"I don't have any plans on stopping. I don't know how I could. I couldn't see walking in this room and being like yea I don't collect this anymore. This is it. I don't ever want this to be over."
Accumulating collections like this takes a huge financial, physical, and emotional commitment. So when doing these stories, I always ask - what’s going to happen to this collection in the future?
“Right now I have absolutely no idea where this collection or what will happen with it when I’m gone."
And that’s alright. He’ll just keep on collecting because that’s what makes him happy.
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