Exhibits from museums in Ipswich and Colchester can now be viewed online after they were all downloaded on to a website by the organisation that runs them.

The database includes thousands of records of natural and man-made objects created over the last 65 million years.

This new resource will prove invaluable for anyone wanting to find out more about towns' rich heritage. It is free to use, and no registration is required. Search for high-definition images of individual objects, zoom in, examine and even print them out for reference.

Experts have curated a number of collections based on popular subjects and requests. In these you can explore about 7,000 records in the Ipswich collections, including its Victorian taxidermy collection, works by John Constable and other leading Suffolk artists, items from the costume collections, plus artefacts and pictures from previous exhibitions including ‘Twist and Turns’ and ‘Ipswich Through Time’. The team will be adding new collections regularly, so it’s advisable to check back for new content.

Carole Jones, Portfolio Holder for Ipswich Borough Council’s Museums Service, has said: “Giving the public access to Ipswich’s vast collection online is an excellent opportunity to share the fascinating objects we have in our care. This is great news, both for the people of Ipswich, and for anyone who is keen to find out more about our wonderful collections.”