Around 500 items of the vast Trevor Kennedy collection went on display for the first time on Tuesday at the National Museum of Australia.

The museum acquired the much sought-after private collection from Mr Kennedy six months ago, and this was the first time many of the pieces were displayed to the public.

The former journalist and businessman amassed the collection of around 5000 Australian treasures over five decades.

The $15 million acquisition is made up of more than $8 million worth of artworks, furniture, jewellery and ceramics, purchased by the museum, as well as $7 million worth of items that were donated by Mr Kennedy.

Viewing part of his own collection at the museum on Tuesday, Mr Kennedy said seeing it there was "a great satisfaction".

He said he had always been interested in Australia and its history since growing up in Albany, Western Australia.

"It was history in the making there, a combination of growing up in a town where history was explained... and adding an interest [in history] to a place like Canberra that was making history," he said.

He said he had been concerned for the future of the collection before the museum acquired it.

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"It was a concern to me - even though my family had an interest in it, nobody really had a huge passion for it" he said.

Curator Sophie Jenkins said Mr Kennedy's collection, the museum's largest acquisition to date, would have continuing importance.

"The 'dollars and cents' value of this will be forgotten within months, but the true value of this collection to us is in terms of our ability to talk about Australian culture history and society will be with us forever," she said.

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