Emma Mawdsley, head of collections at the National Army Museum, said the Chelsea attraction has received “three or four times” the normal number of items.
“Literally we get parcels sent to the door,” she said. “Some of it is wonderful ... many of the letters began ‘I’ve been clearing out my loft or going through my shed’.”
Donations ranged from letters and photographs to relatively common badges and medals and pieces worth thousands of pounds.
Ms Mawdsley said: “There was one person ... who had six uncles who died in the First World War. He was the last of the line and he didn’t want this stuff to go in a skip. It is our duty to look after historical material and be respectful of people’s belongings.
“I’m constantly amazed by people’s generosity in giving us things that could be sold for a lot of money.”
The museum in Royal Hospital Road is open though visitors are encouraged to book a slot online before arriving to avoid queues.
