Replete with illustrations, a surprising tour of ephemera’s profound and lasting power.

The human drive to capture memories and experiences through physical objects is as old as civilization itself. In I Came, I Saw, I Collected, art historian and archaeologist Maggie L. Popkin takes readers on an exhilarating tour through the surprising history of souvenirs. From drinking cups depicting Roman gladiators, early Christian pilgrimage flasks, and Maya figurines to folding fans from the Grand Tour, Hokusai’s Great Wave, and modern snow globes, Popkin shows how souvenirs have always shaped how we see our world and feel at home within it. Far from mere kitsch, souvenirs fuel economies, reinforce political ideologies, and frame the way we think about art, culture, and authenticity. Richly illustrated, this book uncovers the profound stories hidden within the humble objects we still accumulate today.