Bishop Museum
The state's designated history and culture museum, founded in 1889 by Charles R. Bishop as a memorial to his wife, Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, began as a repository for the royal possessions of this last direct descendant of King Kamehameha the Great. Today, its five excellent exhibit halls contain almost 25 million items that tell the history of the Hawaiian Islands and their Pacific neighbors.
Gain understanding of the entire region in the Pacific Hall, and learn about the culture of the Islands through state-of-the-art and often-interactive displays in the Hawaiian Hall. Spectacular artifacts—lustrous feather capes, bone fishhooks, the skeleton of a giant sperm whale, photography and crafts displays, and a well-preserved grass house—are displayed inside a three-story, 19th-century, Victorian-style gallery. The building alone, with its huge turrets and immense stone walls, is worth seeing.
In the 16,500-square-foot science adventure wing, it's hard to miss the three-story simulated volcano where kids (young and young at heart) can make lava burble. A walk through the glowing black light tunnel is another fun feature. Also check out the planetarium, Hawaiian cultural and science demonstrations, special exhibits, and the Shop Pacifica.
