diff --git a/src/Converter.php b/src/Converter.php
index 8763df4..875451e 100644
--- a/src/Converter.php
+++ b/src/Converter.php
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
  * @package  Date
  * @author   Demian Katz <demian.katz@villanova.edu>
  * @author   Luke O'Sullivan <l.osullivan@swansea.ac.uk>
+ * @author   Ere Maijala <ere.maijala@helsinki.fi>
  * @license  http://opensource.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.php GNU General Public License
  * @link     https://vufind.org/wiki/development Wiki
  */
@@ -38,6 +39,7 @@
  * @package  Date
  * @author   Demian Katz <demian.katz@villanova.edu>
  * @author   Luke O'Sullivan <l.osullivan@swansea.ac.uk>
+ * @author   Ere Maijala <ere.maijala@helsinki.fi>
  * @license  http://opensource.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.php GNU General Public License
  * @link     https://vufind.org/wiki/development Wiki
  */
@@ -93,6 +95,21 @@ public function __construct(array $config = [])
      * @return string               A re-formatted time string
      */
     public function convert($inputFormat, $outputFormat, $dateString)
+    {
+        $date = $this->convertToDateTime($inputFormat, $dateString);
+        return $date->format($outputFormat);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Generic method for conversion of a time / date string to a DateTime
+     *
+     * @param string $inputFormat The format of the time string to be changed
+     * @param string $dateString  The date string
+     *
+     * @throws DateException
+     * @return DateTime           A DateTime object
+     */
+    public function convertToDateTime($inputFormat, $dateString)
     {
         // These are date formats that we definitely know how to handle, and some
         // benefit from special processing. However, items not found in this list
@@ -132,7 +149,7 @@ public function convert($inputFormat, $outputFormat, $dateString)
 
         if ($errors['warning_count'] == 0 && $errors['error_count'] == 0 && $date) {
             $date->setTimeZone($this->timezone);
-            return $date->format($outputFormat);
+            return $date;
         }
         throw new DateException($this->getDateExceptionMessage($errors));
     }
@@ -238,4 +255,14 @@ public function convertToDisplayTimeAndDate($createFormat, $timeString,
         return $this->convertToDisplayTime($createFormat, $timeString)
             . $separator . $this->convertToDisplayDate($createFormat, $timeString);
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Get the active time zone
+     *
+     * @return DateTimeZone
+     */
+    public function getTimeZone(): DateTimeZone
+    {
+        return $this->timezone;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/tests/ConverterTest.php b/tests/ConverterTest.php
index 41165ba..f05d4d1 100644
--- a/tests/ConverterTest.php
+++ b/tests/ConverterTest.php
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
  * @category VuFind
  * @package  Tests
  * @author   Demian Katz <demian.katz@villanova.edu>
+ * @author   Ere Maijala <ere.maijala@helsinki.fi>
  * @license  http://opensource.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.php GNU General Public License
  * @link     https://vufind.org Main Page
  */
@@ -36,6 +37,7 @@
  * @category VuFind
  * @package  Tests
  * @author   Demian Katz <demian.katz@villanova.edu>
+ * @author   Ere Maijala <ere.maijala@helsinki.fi>
  * @license  http://opensource.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.php GNU General Public License
  * @link     https://vufind.org Main Page
  */
@@ -123,6 +125,15 @@ protected function runTests()
         $this->assertEquals(
             '01-2001', $date->convertFromDisplayDate('m-Y', '01-02-2001')
         );
+        $usDateTime = new \DateTime('now', new \DateTimeZone('America/New_York'));
+        $this->assertEquals(
+            $usDateTime->format('Y-m-d H:i:s'),
+            $date->convert('U', 'Y-m-d H:i:s', $usDateTime->getTimestamp())
+        );
+        $dateTime = $date->convertToDateTime('U', $usDateTime->getTimestamp());
+        $this->assertInstanceOf(\DateTime::class, $dateTime);
+        $this->assertEquals('America/New_York', $dateTime->getTimezone()->getName());
+        $this->assertEquals('America/New_York', $date->getTimeZone()->getName());
 
         // Check for proper handling of known problems:
         try {
@@ -153,5 +164,6 @@ protected function runTests()
             '29-11-1973--23:34:39',
             $date2->convertToDisplayDateAndTime('U', 123456879, '--')
         );
+        $this->assertEquals('Europe/Helsinki', $date2->getTimeZone()->getName());
     }
 }