The Tamworth Regional Museums Collection Policy guides the decision-making process for shaping the collections owned and cared for by Tamworth Regional Council. The Collection Policy is a set of principles that guides collecting, loans and deaccessions and is a reference document that should be used in conjunction with appropriate available professional expertise and resources.

This policy is a direct outcome from the development of the Tamworth Regional Museums Engagement Strategy (2019-2024). This Collection Policy aims to enhance strategically the depth and importance of Council’s existing museum collections by approaching collecting in a manner that reflects the Tamworth Region as a whole, single entity.

There are many existing museum objects currently owned by Council that are not currently covered under a Collection Policy. The Collection Policy will ensure all Council owned collections are identified, documented and cared for sustainably in the future.

The Tamworth Regional Museums Collection comprises significant objects and collections owned by Tamworth Regional Council and which reflect Tamworth’s iconic cultural heritage via the following themes:

• Tamworth as the First City of Light
• Tamworth as a Music City
• Tamworth and the region’s Mining and Mineral history
• Tamworth’s cultural identity in Film, Photography and Sound
• The Social History of Tamworth and the region.

The social history of Tamworth and the region as above includes the agricultural, commercial, domestic, electrical, transport, and strong Aboriginal culture and identity in the Tamworth region.

Acquisitions may include the wider national and international social history as relevant to the themes identified above.