Nelson Provincial Museum TBHT's Fundraising Page

The Nelson Provincial Museum’s Research Library and Archive holds a large microfilm collection accessed regularly by researchers on a microfilm reader.

The collection of 967 reels includes: the Nelson Evening Mail and Nelson Mail, up to 1985; Nelson/Tasman district community newspapers; Father Garin’s journals; Heine and Hodgson family archives; Nelson Board of Works and some early Nelson City Council records; Nelson Provincial Government gazettes, votes and proceedings; 1912-1924 Waimea County Council Register of Motors. While some of the newspapers are available on the PapersPast website the Museum does have some unique holdings which are not available at the Elma Turner Library in Nelson city.

This microfilm collection is important and ensures continued access to copies of the original material held by the Nelson Provincial Museum where the originals are too fragile for constant handling. As our current microfilm reader is not fully operational, and unable to be repaired due to its age, we need your help to fund a replacement at a cost of close to $30,000. We need to raise one third of the total cost in order to make a serious application for grant funding.

Your donation will be used to directly fund a new generation reader that will enable continued and enhanced access to the Museum’s valuable resources while the originals are preserved for future generations. Today’s microfilm readers allow images to be enhanced and conveniently sent to your own email.

On behalf of the Tasman Bays Heritage Trust, thank you for your support of this essential piece of equipment. Your contribution will make a real difference in terms of research access to an important part of our regional heritage collection. The Trust administers the Nelson Provincial Museum for the benefit of all its visitors with equal funding support from Tasman District Council and Nelson City Council.