When I was a boy, I took over the shed at the bottom of the garden and displayed fossils and potsherds and coins in it and proudly called it my 'museum'. I charged people to come in, and my most prized possession was a Saracen shield dating from the Crusades.

Kevin Crossley-Holland's quote reflects a nostalgic and personal memory of his childhood passion for history and collecting. By describing how he turned a shed into a "museum," he illustrates his early interest in the past and his desire to showcase historical artifacts like fossils, potsherds, and coins. The mention of charging people to enter highlights his entrepreneurial spirit and how he sought to share his passion for history with others, even at a young age.

The Saracen shield that Crossley-Holland describes as his "most prized possession" symbolizes the deeper historical significance that fascinated him. A Saracen shield, dating from the Crusades, would have represented a tangible connection to the past and a specific, dramatic period of history. This object was more than just an artifact to him; it was a symbol of his connection to the medieval era and perhaps a representation of his curiosity about historical narratives and legacies.

Crossley-Holland's reference to his childhood "museum" also speaks to his early development of a curatorial mindset. Even as a child, he was organizing, preserving, and displaying artifacts, much like a curator would in an actual museum. This early engagement with historical objects likely laid the foundation for his later career as a writer and historian, showing how childhood interests can evolve into lifelong passions.

Ultimately, this quote emphasizes the importance of curiosity and imagination in shaping one’s life path. Crossley-Holland’s childhood fascination with history, encapsulated in his homemade "museum," serves as a reminder of how early experiences can spark a lifelong love for learning and discovery, leading to a deeper understanding of both personal and historical identity.