Bishop Museum, Honolulu HI

My perspective comes from being Brown and off Southeast Asian descent. Equal parts beautiful and equal parts tragic the atrocities the Hawaiian people met with and the perseverance of a people's. Go. Go and see and watch, listen, for yourself

So much detail and history. It would take many more visits to take it all in. Beautifully displayed

The dinosaur exhibit here is small but super fun and all three of the boys loved it. Things are spread out and if it's to hot.well it's hot just know that

Learned a lot of detailed information about the islands and the native people and the queen.

Beautiful building with a great collection. We loved it. There is also a dinosaur museum and a scientific exhibition.

This is a REALLY GOOD museum!
The dinosaur exhibit is GRRAT!
You could spend hours here!
Unfortunately for us, the planetarium reopens tomorrow
We say don't miss this!

This place was amazing! It's such a unique experience rich with history, culture, art, and science. It was so edifying and so much fun!

The main attractions that we've planned to attend today were supposed to be at the J. Watumull Planetarium. Unfortunately, it only has two shows/day to which access is almost inaccessible, as only about a dozen seats are available after successful booking online.   I tried online booking two days in advance, but no seats were available.

Science Adventure Ctr.was 2nd on our list. However, most exhibits are closed and/or defective, including the most popular ones (volcano, remotely guided submersibles, etc.).

Hawaiian Hall Complex only allowed us to stay less than 3 minutes, as the strong mildew smell throughout the entire building provoked a strong cough and a suffocating sensation to both my son and me.

To top it all, there are many extremely offensive pieces and/or paintings, including Satanic/Occult Symbols and/or Satanic connotations throughout the art Galleria, at the Castle Memorial Bldg. No warning whatsoever was posted at the time we’ve attended!

Initially, we planned to stay/visit at least 3-5 hours, as we did in the past (a few years ago). However, due to the facts pointed above, we were in and out in less than an hour.

This is highly unacceptable from both a ethical, moral and a medical point of view!

A beautiful museum with a little of everything about the Hawaiian culture, royal family history, political and religious background.

Saturday Nov 6,2021 - timed entry/ reservation needed
(website registration for reservation & ticket purchase).
I had purchased my tickets via Groupon before I learned about the timed entry policy. I would recommend purchasing via the website with a time slot if you have kids or need to be guaranteed entry that day and do not want to wait.
There's a new (special) dinosaur exhibit that has to an extra cost to attend.

I arrived before 10 am and entered the gift shop (after ID and Vaccination card check). Front counter took my ticket numbers and allowed us entry (n number of people allowed every specific period of time).

Parking is $5 for your stay in the lot. If you don't purchase your car pass at the machine, you can pay at the counter when you are allowed to enter. Security was roaming in a golf cart.

Two adults spent about 3 hours touring the main building and the hands-on center across the lawn. I especially enjoyed learning about Hawaiian history and royal family.

Please wear shoes that you can stand and walk in for 2 to 3 hours. You can bring snacks to eat outside on the
benches, but there is a small cafe on-site.

Also, restrooms are on the ground floor of the main building. There is a water bottle refill fountain in the same hallway.

This is a museum for those that already have a rough understanding of Hawaiian history and mythology. Difficult to parse for someone with no knowledge whatsoever. You could spend 4 hours here reading all the plaques!

An architectural wonder. Wish I lived there, it's just so elaborate and beautiful. The Hawaiian culture will stay alive thanks to this place.

Best museum on the island with a several activities. The planetarium is a must where you will learn about the ancestorial wayfinders. My boys love the lava show and science building. The history of Hawaii is well represented. To top it off the cafe has excellent locally sourced kālua pork and lomi lomi. Definitely worth spending some time there.

Enthralling experience the moment I walked into the gallery.

Huge open space packed with priceless artifacts.

The third floor made me feel like I was walking through a live book, experiencing the massive changes in Hawaiian society after the arrival of foreign powers. A story filled with sadness, betrayal, hope, ending on a note of optimism.

I recommend listening to Izrael Kamakawiwo'ole's album, Facing Future, as you walk through the gallery.

Overall, left with a renewed, inspiring impression of Polynesian culture and history.

Thank you!

Excellent museum! A fantastic way to discover Hawaiian and Polynesian cultures! Highly recommended.