Largest collection of snow globes

The largest collection of snow globes belongs to Josef Kardinal (Germany), who had 6,100 unique items on display at his home in Nuremberg, Germany, at the last official count on 15 March 2002. He has since acquired many more globes, taking his collection to over 11,000 as of 31 October 2025.

Kardinal began his collection in 1984 after he received a single snow globe as a gift. Although his first official count from 2002 was recorded at 6,100 pieces, according to a recent unofficial count for the Sonntagsblatt newspaper, his impressive archive has grown to 11,017 items. This whimsical collection - which span themes from nostalgic souvenirs of castles and landmarks to rare editions such as Disney-licensed globes - is housed in the multi-room basement of Kardinal's home in Nuremberg, and is treated not just as kitsch but as cultural memorabilia. Preservation is very important to this very determined collector, who regularly shakes the domes and replenishes them with distilled water to keep the “snow” falling properly.