More than 130 historical electrical objects held at the Tamworth Powerstation Museum are now more accessible.
The eHive database enables anyone to easily search the catalogue anytime, without needing to leave home.
Tamworth Regional Council's cultural collections officer, Naomi Blakey said it is an excellent platform as it connects the Powerstation Museum to other museums not only in Australia but across the world.
The Museum’s eHive Collection is made up of 132 digitised items of “significance”, selected from the complete collection of about 10,000 objects held onsite at the Powerstation Museum.
Selected items range from a Century fan dated about 1915, an Electrolux vacuum cleaner from 1924, to a Diamont coffee grinder and a Durst pedal generator from the 1940s.
“It’s important to have these museum objects as they allow us to tell the history and stories of our past," Ms Blakey said.
"And with today’s reliance on electrical devices and their importance in everything we do, it’s important to record and show people how it all began.
“History books can only tell us so much. It is individual objects such as these that make it relatable."
Museum volunteer Miranda Heckenberg, who is the backbone behind the eHive project, said items in the online collection was assessed on their “significance” when considered for inclusion in the collection.
“We were after items that told a good story and gave a sense of what the whole collection represented,” she said.
“There is a focus on domestic appliances because they appeal to a broad audience for their nostalgia.
"Visitors often exclaim, ‘I remember when I was a child my grandmother had a Sunbeam Mixmaster just like that'.”
All the pieces in the collection have been donated by members of the community.
The online collection can be found by clicking on the Online Catalogue link at https://tamworthpowerstationmuseum.com.au.
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