The Ward Observatory in Wanganui reflects the growing interest in astronomy in late nineteenth-century and early twentieth-century New Zealand, and the important contribution of amateur astronomers to the study of astronomy. During the late 1880s, interest in astronomy in New Zealand grew, sparked by the establishment of the Colonial Observatory in Wellington in 1868 and a number of astronomical events, such as the transit of Venus in 1874 and 1882, and a total solar eclipse of the sun seen in the Wellington region in 1885. Throughout New Zealand enthusiastic amateur astronomers, such as Joseph Thomas Ward (1862-1927), established astronomical societies.

Ward had immigrated to New Zealand in 1879 or 1880 and after marrying Ada Evelyn Wright, settled in Wanganui in 1894. Ward established a bookshop and stationery business, but his real passion was for astronomy. In 1901 he was instrumental in forming the Wanganui Astronomical Society. The new society, of which Ward was elected president, successfully sought permission from the Wanganui District Council to build an observatory in Cook's Gardens. In 1902 the society acquired a second-hand 9-½ inch refractor telescope that had been built in England in1865 by Isaac Fletcher. The telescope arrived in New Zealand in December of that year and was stored by the Railways Department free of charge until its new home could be built. Based on plans supplied by Ward, the new observatory was designed by Alfred Atkins (1850-1919) a noted architect who had designed a number of public buildings in Wanganui. It was built by Russell and Bignell, and was officially opened on 25 May 1903 by the Premier, Rt. Hon Richard J. Seddon, with Ward appointed the honorary director. Ward, and his assistant, local lawyer Thomas Allison, made a special study of double stars. Many of these observations are now recognised in international star catalogues as 'Ward doubles'. He also made astronomy accessible to the general public through lectures, opening the observatory to visits, and in his weekly column in the Wanganui Herald. Ward is also credited with making the first astronomical telescopes in New Zealand. In 1926 the observatory was handed over to the Wanganui City Council. Ward died in 1927, and his son William Herschel Ward was appointed the honorary director of the observatory. In 1952 the facilities at the observatory were expanded with the construction of a lecture room and toilets. In 1979/1980 the aperture of the dome was 'heavily modified' by the Wanganui City Council. Today the Wanganui Astronomical Society continues to use the observatory as a venue for their meetings.

Joseph Ward was one of New Zealand's most important amateur astonomers of the twentieth century. The observatory established by Ward, is one of the oldest observatories founded by an amateur still extant in New Zealand.