By Michael Osacky for Kovels.com

The Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, has started to digitize their entire collection. A few weeks ago, they launched PASTIME, the Hall of Fame Digital Archive Project, to bring the collection and education to the fans. Documents related to Babe Ruth and Jackie Robinson have already been released and are online. Scholars, educators and fans can access the digital archives of the Baseball hall of Fame now and in perpetuity at http://baseballhall.org/discover/digital-archive-project-launches-via-pastime.

“The goal of the Baseball Hall of Fame is to share baseball with the masses. Even if you are not a baseball fan, there is so much to do and learn here,” says Jon Shestakofsky, Vice President of Communications and Education at the Baseball Hall of Fame. During my recent visit, I witnessed fans and non-fans viewing artifacts and learning the history associated with these great ballplayers.

The wall of plaques—one for every person in the Hall of Fame—on the first floor is a fan favorite, but I recommend starting on the second floor. Here you will find a locker for each current MLB team stocked with baseball memorabilia. Explore the lockers for all the teams, not just your favorite. An extensive Babe Ruth exhibit includes the game-used bat Ruth used to club his 60th home run in 1927. From turnstiles and game-worn jerseys to stadium advertising and more, the third floor is all about memorabilia. Another must-see is the extensive collection of World Series rings. Some are bigger than others, but they are all historic.

It’s hard to believe there’s more to see than the amazing collection that’s on display, but the majority of collectibles and artifacts are packed away in boxes and rarely see the light of day. Visitors only see what is on display. The Hall of Fame has over 3 million items, 250,000 unique images, and more than 40,000 3-D objects. Some are permanent and some are on a rotating schedule.

Cooperstown and baseball are synonymous for fans of the sport. The picturesque town of 2,000 full-time residents, swells to over 25,000 during the Baseball Hall of Fame induction weekend every July. In 2016, longtime Seattle Mariners and Cincinnati Reds center fielder Ken Griffey Jr. and New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Mike Piazza joined the elite roster of Hall of Famers. Only 217 players have been inducted into the Baseball hall of Fame. That’s one percent of the number of players who have ever played the game.

Don’t let digital availability replace an awe-inspiring visit to the museum and Cooperstown. There are some great restaurants (Mel’s) and Otsego Lake is also a must see.