The Polish ambassador to New Zealand, Zbigniew Gniatkowski, and the general Polish consul, Agnieszka Kacperska, travelled from Wellington to visit Dunedin.
One stop on the visit was at Dunedin City Library to see the book Observations Made During a Voyage Round the World, by Johann Reinhold Forster.
The author was born in Poland and was the naturalist on Captain James Cook's second Pacific voyage on Resolution. The book was published in 1778.
Mr Gniatkowski gave the library the book Johann Reinhold Forster and Johann Georg Forster, 18th century Pomeranian scientists and explorers of the South Pacific Islands, by Auckland-based Polish author Dr Joanna Bramley.
Library collections manager Linda Geddes said the library was ''absolutely thrilled'' to get the book.
''It will be a wonderful addition.''
The ambassador travels to Southland today to meet Southland District Council staff on Friday about the unveiling of a plaque in Te Anau to commemorate the 245th anniversary of the Forsters' arrival in Dusky Sound.
The commemorations next year will also acknowledge the 145 years since the Polish first settled in the South.
Another stop for the ambassador yesterday was at the Church of Mary Queen of Peace in Broad Bay, built by Polish settlers in the 19th century.
''I was very pleased to see the stained glass windows protected by special plastic panels,'' Mr Gniatkowski said.
The cost of the panels was covered by the embassy of the Republic of Poland in Wellington and the Polish Heritage of Otago and Southland Charitable Trust.
