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There are some people out there who aren’t afraid to take their fandom to a whole new level. Take Somchai Nitimongkolchai from Thailand, for example, who opened up a museum dedicated to his most favorite superhero of all time – the one and only Batman.

The unique thing about this exhibit, though, is that everything in the museum is part of Somchai’s very own private collection of over 50,000 pieces, including one-of-a-kind figures, posters, a LEGO-replica of Gotham City, and yes, of course, even the Batmobile.

Until Somchai saw the 2005 film Batman Begins, he had never collected anything before in his life. But he was so blown away by the way Christian Bale brought Batman to life, as well as the believability of the character himself, that he became hooked.

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Somchai says the reason he likes Batman more than other superheroes, is because Batman is a real human being. Other superheroes, like Spiderman and Superman, have supernatural powers, but anyone can put on a mask and become Batman.

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Over the past decade, his collection has grown to become the largest in Thailand- possibly in the world. His very first piece was a ceramic Batman piggy bank which he kept on his desk at work. From there, he began scouring flea markets and eBay for more items to add to his collection. When his collection became too big for his house, he rented a 400-square-meter shop, calling it the Batcat Museum.

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To create more diversity and appeal to more fans, Somchai began adding other superheroes and characters to his collection. Now you can find memorabilia of Spiderman, Superman, Indiana Jones, James Bond, and a number of Disney and Pixar characters too.

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The museum also has a cafe, and a gift shop where guests can buy shirts, watches, and maybe even their own rare figurine.

Somchai says he plans to keep collecting for many more years before he ships his collection to the United States. “I’m thinking that in about 20 years, I can make it the largest Batman collection ever sold at an auction,” he states.

We’ll be rooting for you, Somchai, but in the meantime we just want to enjoy your museum as it is!

Source: Oddity Central, YouTube (Coconuts TV)
Images: Batcat Museum/Facebook via Oddity Central

 

From one Bat-fan to another – don’t miss our interview with Japan’s own hero! 

100Meet the man behind the mask! We head to Chiba for an exclusive interview with Chibatman 【Video】