Hawaii's largest fine arts museum occupies a graceful 1927 building around a series of courtyard gardens in downtown Honolulu. The collection is surprisingly strong — 50,000 objects spanning 5,000 years, with particular excellence in Asian art (the Japanese woodblock print collection is world-class), Pacific and Hawaiian works, and European painting from the medieval period through the 20th century.
The courtyard gardens are beautiful and free to enter. The galleries require a ticket but the price is modest. The museum also administers Shangri La, Doris Duke's Islamic art estate on the Kahala peninsula, accessible by tour booked through the museum. Allow two to three hours for the main building, more if you add the garden. The cafe is good enough for lunch.