Tamworth Regional Council (TRC) unanimously accepted the 'gift' of the collection from the Australian Country Music Foundation (ACMF) at its meeting on Tuesday.

President of the ACMF Eric Scott said after more than 30 years of volunteers curating the collection, it was time to hand it over.

"It's right and proper that it's going to be looked after by the Tamworth Regional Council ... none of us are getting any younger and we had to make provision for the care of this collection which is so important to Australia and New Zealand's history," he said.

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Mayor of the country music capital Col Murray said taking over the Hall of Fame was a historic moment for the city.

"We've got such a wonderful, passionate, giving group of volunteers that, over the past 25 or 30 years, have pulled this collection together," he said.

"It's certainly with pride that I say our council is accepting responsibility ... for the ownership and display of this wonderful group of country music artefacts."

ACMF was formed in 1991 and started the archive, and volunteers have been in charge ever since.

Pieces of country music history from icons like Slim Dusty, Kieth Urban, Gina Jeffreys, Smoky Dawson and Tex Morton can be found in the centre on the corner of Peel Street and Murray Street in Tamworth.

Tamworth Country Music Festival founder Max Ellis said the move guarantees the collection - which includes memorabilia from country stars dating back to the 1930s - can be preserved.

"We don't have to worry about what's happening tomorrow, we've got a guardian angel who's going to look after the collection, look after the centre and look after country music in Tamworth," he said.

The museum is closed to the public at the moment due to COVID-19.

The ACMF will still operate as a separate group.

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