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Visitor numbers continue to be strong at Port Chalmers Maritime Museum, as visiting cruise ship passengers take an interest in local history.
Run by the Port Chalmers Historical Society, the museum is regularly having hundreds of visitors on cruise ship days.
‘‘It is great for us to have that interest,’’ society president Brian McCormack said.
Port Otago is helping the museum attract the attention of visitors by hosting several ship models in the passenger terminal, which are accompanied by panels explaining the history.
Museum honorary curator Norman Ledgerwood said the displays were proving very popular with visitors and helping to raise awareness of the museum.
In recent months, Mr McCormack, Mr Ledgerwood and their colleagues have worked on a series of new exhibits highlighting significant historic buildings and maritime activities in the area.
A collection of old oil paintings held by the museum is undergoing restoration thanks to a grant of $8000 from the Otago Community Trust.
One of the paintings is an important work by Donald Fletcher, taken from Charles Kettle’s sketch of Koputai Bay in 1848.
It was given to the museum in badly damaged condition after being hung on a wall above a fire, and has been sent away for restoration.
Several other paintings are in the hands of Dunedin restoration artist Sally McMillan.
‘‘The difference after the restoration is absolutely incredible, so we are very pleased to be having it done,’’ Mr Ledgerwood said.
A major new focus for the society is its plans to reinstate the historic Port Chalmers timeball, which allowed ships’ masters to set their chronometers in the late 19th century.
Erected on the flagstaff at Observation Point in 1864, the woven cane timeball dropped daily at 1pm to mark the time.
Around 1900 its use began to diminish, but it was used as a warning sign for mariners until about 1930.
Mr Ledgerwood said discussions were under way about the cost of having a new timeball and mechanism made.
It was thought there were only about nine timeballs in the world, including the one in Lyttelton, which was reopened last year, after being damaged in the Canterbury earthquakes.
That would make the Port Chalmers timeball a tourist attraction, he said.
Once the cost of the project was established, fundraising could begin, with the aim of getting the timeball reinstated later this year.