Bishop Museum

Hawaii's largest museum — natural history, Pacific culture, royal artifacts

The Bishop Museum is Hawaii's largest natural history and cultural history institution, containing over 25 million items and the most important collection of Hawaiian and Pacific material in the world. The Hawaiian Hall, a Victorian building with three floors of galleries, holds feathered royal capes, weapons, navigational instruments, and Kanak objects that have no parallel anywhere else.

The Pacific Hall covers cultures from across Polynesia, Melanesia, and Micronesia, while the Science Adventure Center offers excellent interactive exhibits on natural history. The planetarium runs shows throughout the day. The Bernice Pauahi Bishop gallery holds the personal collection of the museum's founder. Allow at least three hours; serious enthusiasts will need more. Located in Kalihi, about 15 minutes' drive from Waikiki.

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The museum was founded in 1889 by Charles Reed Bishop as a memorial to his wife Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, the last direct descendant of Kamehameha I. Her entire collection of Hawaiian royal artifacts, feathered cloaks, koa furniture, and royal regalia was given to the museum at her death. It remains the most significant collection of Hawaiian royal objects in existence.

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