About Hawaii

Honolulu’s Bishop Museum is Hawaii’s largest museum dedicated to studying and preserving the history of Hawaii and the Pacific. Originally designed to house the extensive collection of Hawaiian artifacts and royal family heirlooms of Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, a descendant of King Kamehameha I, the museum is now the premier natural and cultural history institution in the Pacific. One of Oahu’s most historic places, the museum holds millions of artifacts, documents and photos about Hawaii and other Polynesian cultures.

Visit the newly renovated Hawaiian Hall, which immerses you in Native Hawaiian culture and history by showcasing a variety of important artifacts. In the planetarium, kids can learn how voyagers navigated the Pacific using the stars. In the Science Adventure Center, children can see Hawaii’s unique natural environment like never before through a variety of interactive exhibits.

The museum is open seven days a week (excluding some holidays) with regular hours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Not far from Downtown Honolulu, the Honolulu Museum of Art has been sharing the arts with Hawaii since 1927. With a permanent collection of more than 60,000 pieces, this is Hawaii’s largest general fine-arts museum.

Stroll from gallery to gallery past open-air courtyards and ponds. Explore one of the finest collections of Asian art in the world as well as impressive collections of Western, European and Polynesian art. If you feel like seeing a film, visit Doris Duke Theatre, which plays an impressive slate of foreign and independent films. After browsing the galleries, take a break to have lunch in the open-air HoMA Cafē or recharge with an energizing drink at the Coffee Bar.

Shangri La Museum of Islamic Art, Culture & Design

Shangri-La is a center for Islamic arts and cultures, offering guided tours of what was formerly the home of American heiress and philanthropist Doris Duke. Built in 1937, Shangri La was inspired by Duke’s extensive travels throughout North Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia.

A national historic landmark and the only official state residence of royalty in the United States, from 1882 to 1893 Downtown Honolulu’s Iolani Palace was the official residence of the Hawaiian Kingdom’s last two monarchs: King Kalakaua and his sister and successor, Queen Liliuokalani.

The palace was a symbol of promise for the Hawaiian Kingdom built by King David Kalakaua, “The Merrie Monarch.” Influenced by European architectural styles, this royal residence included Hawaii’s first electric light system, flush toilets and intra-house telephones. The rich interior features a beautiful koa staircase, dramatic portraits of Hawaiian royalty, ornate furniture and royal gifts and ornaments from around the world.

In 1893, a provisional U.S. government was established after opposition forces overthrew the Hawaiian monarchy. The Hawaiian Islands were eventually annexed as a United States Territory in 1898. Hawaii became the 50th state in 1959 and during this time Iolani Palace was used as the capitol building until 1968. After falling into disrepair over the years, the Iolani Palace was renovated and opened to the public in 1978.