Solomon Islands National Museum

The Solomon Islands National Museum on Mendana Avenue is small but worthwhile — a compact collection focused on Melanesian culture, traditional crafts, and the natural history of the islands. The exhibits include traditional canoes, shell money, wooden carvings, and artefacts from the various island cultures of the archipelago.

There is a section on the World War II campaign, though for the main WWII material the Vilu War Museum west of town is better. Admission is inexpensive and the staff are friendly. Allow an hour or so, then browse the small craft shop adjacent to the entrance.

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The museum's collection includes an example of the intricate shell-money still used as currency in parts of the Solomon Islands — strings of tiny red and white shells ground to precise sizes, threaded on rattan, and used for bride price and ceremonial exchange. The red shells (Chama pacifica) are significantly more valuable than the white.