Nelson City Council

On August 26 1859, Ferdinand von Hochstetter, the "Father of New Zealand geology",  laid the foundation stone of the Nelson Institute and Museum building in Hardy Street - the wooden building which preceded the building which is now the NMIT Fisheries building. The Foundation stone can be found in the foyer of the Elma Turner Library.

The Prow tells the story of  Hochstetter's visit to Nelson. The following is an extract.

Hochstetter was warmly received by the Nelson community: a dinner and ball were held in his honour when he was invited to lay the foundation stone of the new Nelson Institute and Museum  building in Hardy Street on August 26 1859.  The building opened in 1861 and remained until fire destroyed the library section in 1905.

Hochstetter was reported in the Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle  as being honoured by the invitation to "lay the corner-stone of an edifice designed for the noble purposes of art and science - the Nelson Institute.....Certainly a cheerful and memorable epoch in the history and development of the young colony, when the enterprising pioneers, after the toils and labours of their settling down had succeeded - after their houses had been roofed over, and fields and meadows put in due order - now direct their attention also to the nobler purposes of life, to the nursing of the blossoms and fruits of our civilization, of art and science."¹