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Bishop Museum, Honolulu

4.6
#4 of 123 in Museums in Hawaii
Specialty Museum · Hidden Gem · Museum
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Home to the largest collection of Polynesian cultural artifacts, Bishop Museum was founded in memory of the Charles Reed Bishop's wife, Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, the last heir of the Kamehameha dynasty. Most of the original building was used as a school for indigenous boys. When the school moved, the museum expanded. In addition to the permanent collection, traveling exhibits move through the Castle Memorial building, and science exhibits are housed inside the Richard T. Mamiya Science Adventure Center. To visit Bishop Museum on your holiday in Honolulu, and find out what else Honolulu has to offer, use our Honolulu.
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Bishop Museum reviews

TripAdvisor traveler rating
TripAdvisor traveler rating 4.5
2,866 reviews
Google
4.6
TripAdvisor
  • Great museum featuring a three-story hall dedicated to Hawaiian history, and an identical adjacent hall illustrating Polynesian history and migration. A separate building highlights kid-oriented... 
    Great museum featuring a three-story hall dedicated to Hawaiian history, and an identical adjacent hall illustrating Polynesian history and migration. A separate building highlights kid-oriented...  more »
  • We spent the whole afternoon at the museum and thoroughly enjoyed it. Full of so much history and artifacts. Super interesting and highly recommend the visit. Easy to get to on public transit from....  more
    We spent the whole afternoon at the museum and thoroughly enjoyed it. Full of so much history and artifacts. Super interesting and highly recommend the visit. Easy to get to on public transit from....  more »
  • This is a beautiful historic museum. The displays about Hawiian history were so interesting and beautifully done. There is a hand-on exhibit next to the historic building which is mainly for kids... 
    This is a beautiful historic museum. The displays about Hawiian history were so interesting and beautifully done. There is a hand-on exhibit next to the historic building which is mainly for kids...  more »
Google
  • This is a must see. I could have spent at least 3-4 hours here. The museum itself is an architectural beauty. Then you have all the cultural knowledge inside to learn about which is truly amazing. I loved the interactive aspects of the museum but like I said above the knowledge that you learn about the native Hawaiians and culture. From how they lived and thrived to know is wonderful. This is a must do when you come to the island. I think it will give any visitors an appreciation for the land and people and what they are fighting to protect and preserve.
  • A lot of great information here, but my family and I all left feeling a little like we still didn’t understand the culture fully. We came to try to learn more about Hawaiian culture and Polynesia. However the information was sort of just jumbled everywhere. It would be better if there was a chain of events lined up for you. Organization is a huge part of teaching. They have the artifacts grouped together, but the timeline is missing. The artifacts they have here are priceless and extremely beautiful! But outsiders with no background of the history will have a hard time grasping the basic concepts. It seems like you almost need a little bit of prior knowledge before coming here to really appreciate everything they have to offer. If the museum could incorporate a timeline somewhere explaining the exact history of Polynesia and the islands, that would be helpful to everyone! Dumb it down for us so that we can all advocate for the culture and people of Hawaii 🌺🤙🏽 Some of us tourists want to appreciate the history and traditions! We aren’t all there for Waikiki beach 😉😁 My five year old daughter did really enjoy the kids science building across the campus. The slide for the volcano is hardly a slide though, the kids can’t even slide down it because it’s not inclined enough😅 could use a revamp! We did like the glow in the dark tunnel a lot though! But overall enjoyed our time there. The price was a little steep for three adults and a child, but I’m hoping that the museum will improve with feedback like ours🤞🏽 Would love to come back and learn more at some point!
  • Definitely awesome and worth going to if you're visiting. It's more than just Hawaiian culture but does dive into the history Hawaii and how it became the colony and then state. Some very beautiful shots of pre colonization Waikiki that makes you wonder how beautiful it was before the natural habitat was ruined. We went early and had no wait. Our hotel got us free admission, which was very cool
  • Not any ordinary museum, Bishop Museum is jam packed with not only a deep cultural history of Hawaii but of nature and science. The first exhibit explores the history and roots of the islands and how everything came to be today. The other exhibits explore the explanations of the plants, wildlife, and even has a giant volcano you can explore! Oh not to mention the surfing game you can try out yourself. Fun and educational, perfect for all ages!
  • This museum is fantastic and a must see. Super informative and traces the history of Hawaii and Polynesia back to original migrations and then goes through cultural developments throughout time. As a history buff I loved it. It’s fair amount of reading a cultural artifacts, but all super rich and informative. We did the planetarium show that covers how Hawaiian navigators can use the stars for navigation, and it was super well done and fascinating. Loved this place and hope to go back as we didn’t get to everything.

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