内容摘要：. If you’ve worked for a government agency or a non-profit organization, you could also be eligible for the

. If you’ve worked for a government agency or a non-profit organization, you could also be eligible for the

Each collectable he has salvaged feels like a victory against time, Vij says, underscoring his belief that maybe one individual’s attempts can quietly resist their erasure from people’s memory.“The deepest emotion I feel while collecting these items is the sense of satisfaction that I managed to save a piece of history,” said Vij, during an interview surrounded by his priceless collection of vintage cameras and gramophones.

Fossils of fish, snails, tadpoles and fern leaves that date back millions of years are Vij’s most ancient items. But he has a passion for another trove of objects that date back to around 1915: thousands upon thousands of matchboxes.His obsession began at the age of 8 when he discovered his first matchbox while wandering on the roads with his father. Today, the 51-year-old possesses more than 22,000 matchboxes.A set of old matchboxes from bygone eras in the collection of Aditya Vij, an Indian anthropologist and an avid collector, at his house in New Delhi, India, April 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

A set of old matchboxes from bygone eras in the collection of Aditya Vij, an Indian anthropologist and an avid collector, at his house in New Delhi, India, April 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)A few of them are over a century old and their cover labels showcase different forms of religious representations and political scenarios of the times they were produced.

“It is not just the possession of these trinkets, but the process of hunting for them is what adds a layer of excitement for me,” Vij said, adding that matchboxes symbolize different cultures at different times.

He says the preservation of memory through these collectables pushes people to think about the craftsmanship of a time where life was slower and decisions were more deliberate.Forest Service, Fort Collins, Colo. (43,599 square feet)

Mine Safety Health Administration, Frackville, Pa. (5,125 square feet)Social Security Administration, Gadsden, Ala. (1,450 square feet)

Natural Resources Conservation Service, Gallatin, Tenn. (6,017 square feet)Mine Safety Health Administration, Geneva, N.Y. (4,046 square feet)