Dominion Observatory, Wellington

The Dominion Observatory is a historic observatory in the Botanic Gardens in Wellington, New Zealand. It was the second observatory in Wellington. It was built in 1907 and originally named the Hector Observatory after James Hector until 1925.^[1] It was built to replace the Colonial Observatory which was located in the Bolton Street Cemetery.^[2]

Dominion Observatory
Dominion Observatory
General information
Architectural style	Edwardian Baroque
Location	Wellington's Botanic Gardens, Wellington, New Zealand
Coordinates	41°17′02.9″S 174°46′05.6″E
Completed	1907
Design and construction
Architect	John Campbell
Heritage New Zealand – Category 1
Designated	25 September 1986
Reference no.	4700

The observatory was primarily used to maintain New Zealand Mean Time for the Time Service based on astronomical observations.^[3]

It was designed by architect John Campbell in the Edwardian Baroque style.^[3]

The observatory was vacant in 1993, and in 2003 it was refurbished by the Department of Conservation to be used by private businesses.

It is listed by Heritage New Zealand as a Category 1 Historic Place.^[4]