Founders Heritage Park

  • Nelson
  • Heritage Attractions
  • $5.00 - $10.00
  • Free WIFI

Ride the train, fly the plane, taste the history and meet our working artisans. Something's always happening at Founders!

Spend a lovely afternoon with the family walking through a village of character buildings that are set in beautiful well established gardens. Explore displays of Nelson’s heritage, learn the stories of our local people and meet our working artisans.

Explore the vintage coaches in the Newman's Livery Stables, discover why Nelson is the brewing capital of New Zealand in the Hop & Beer Museum, climb inside the Bristol Freighter airplane, learn about the Port of Nelson and see one of the country's largest collections of ships in bottles.

The Nelson Railway Society, also part of the park, offers train and railcar rides most weekends and throughout the holidays. Meet the crew who run the workshop and visit the railway museum, and put a coin in the meter to drive their model trains.

The iconic Windmill Gift Shop has a range of local crafts made onsite and fun old-school gifts that will take you back to your childhood. The gift store and main entry into the park are housed in the replica windmill that once stood on the banks of the Maitai River.

Artisans working onsite are specialising in sail making, printing, screen printing, jewellery making, painting, photography, and furniture making. Their work is for sale in the windmill store seven days a week, and many of their studios are open to visitors.

Several prominent festivals and events are held at the park on an annual basis, including Nelson’s boutique beer festival MarchFest, Nelson Arts Festival and Evolve Festival. Its signature event is an annual fundraiser, Founders Book Fair, held over Queens Birthday weekend.

Address

Founders Heritage Park

87 Atawhai Drive
The Wood
7010 Nelson

Phone
+64 3 5482649
Visit website
Email
founderspark@ncc.govt.nz

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