Man makes shed into maritime museum

PLYMOUTH, England, Dec. 28 (UPI) -- A retired boat builder said he has created Britain's smallest museum in his garden shed with hundreds of maritime history pieces on display.

Robert Carter, 65, of Plymouth, England, said he transformed his 12-foot-by-6-foot garden shed into a free maritime museum that he is convinced is the smallest to be found in Britain, the Daily Mail reported Monday.

"It must be the smallest museum. If there was a smaller one I would know about it for sure," he said. "Anyone can come and have a look around if they are interested. I get a few hundred or so people visit every year just through word of mouth."

Carter said the pieces in his museum include a powder keg and a sailors hat from the 1805 battle of Trafalgar, part of the Napoleonic Wars, and numerous other maritime artifacts.

"It is great to see people's reactions when they come in. It is like they can't believe what they're seeing. Most people who visit are genuine enthusiasts so they really appreciate the pieces I have and how rare they are," he said. "My ambition would be to get a decommissioned light ship put in the garden so I could turn it into a full sized museum."