Founded in 1889 by Charles Reed Bishop in honor of his wife, Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, the last descendant of the Kamehameha dynasty. It holds the world’s largest collection of Hawaiian and Pacific cultural artifacts and natural history specimens.
Why we love it
Hawaiian Hall alone is worth the trip, and it gives the rest of your time on Oʻahu much deeper context.
What to expect
The campus sits in Kalihi, a short drive from downtown. Start in Hawaiian Hall, the museum’s 1889 centerpiece, restored in 2009. Its three floors follow the realms of gods, people and aliʻi, with koa-wood display cases. Then visit the Polynesian Hall, the Science Adventure Center and the J. Watumull Planetarium, where shows cost a little extra. Give it at least three hours. Admission is a timed arrival between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., and you can stay until 5. Tūtū’s Place by Highway Inn on site serves lunch.
Know before you go
- Timed tickets
- Book a timed arrival online between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Last check-in is 4 p.m., and you can stay until 5 p.m.
- Prices vary
- Ticket prices change by day of the week and season. Hawaiʻi residents and military get reduced rates.
- Planetarium
- Planetarium shows are not included. Tickets are $3, sold on site with museum admission.
- Parking
- Paid parking on site, first-come, first-served: $16 per car for non-residents, $8 for residents.
- By bus
- From Waikīkī, TheBus #2 (School St./Middle St.) stops near the museum; allow about an hour.
Photo: Sdkb via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
