We went to the Bishop Museum in November 2017, and it was one of the best days our family has ever had together. My husband and I wanted to see the Polynesian/Hawaiian art, and the kids were tagging along. The kids were really interested too. And then, after a long time in the gorgeous main building, we explored other parts of the campus and found an interactive animation exhibit. Omg! My kids went ballistic! It was so much fun for all of us! Seriously, if you only go to one museum in Honolulu, this is the one you want. It's gorgeous, has tons of great work, and has something to offer the whole family. I wish I could have gone back again, but I guess that means we'll have to return to Hawaii someday. read more

So if you want to know about Hawaiian history and culture, skip the crazy show at the "polynesian" cultural center (which is run by colonizing Mormons!) and visit thd Bishop Museum. Learn about flora, fauna, history and handicrafts of this beautiful aina and people. Exhibits are 1st rate and well done. The museum itself is beautiful. The planetarium shows are even great. Really enjoyed the Wayfinder show about navigating by the stars. For a real local experience afterward, go get some poke near by, or get some delish takeaway at the Palama market. read more

Bishop Museum - Inside the Bishop Museum main hall. - Museums Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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The Bishop Museum is such an important part of the preservation of Hawaiian culture and over the years has gotten much better than it used to be. Everything looks new and really well kept. There are also other exhibits beside the Hawaiian Hall, which include a variety of focuses from animals to plants to the Galaxy we live in. My favorite part of the museum is the Hawaiian Hall but recently I went to a volcano exhibit that was pretty hot--see what I did there? Lol. You travel down, down, down to the depths of the volcano and learn about all the different terms and parts of it. A particularly moving presentation was an exhibit for extinct birds, with the actual (stuffed) birds displayed near their placards. It was sad and made very real the impact of man on nature. Last time I came there was a special event going on on the lawn so definitely look out for those and keep up with the museum on social media. Event days usually have special admission sales or even free admission! read more

It was nice to learn history of Hawaii. My kid loved their childrens museum. It was worth visiting.

This museum is fascinating for both children and adults alike and after so much beach time it was nice to head to a cultural institution. The main bishop museum building with its open atrium like center having animals hanging from the ceiling reminded me so much of Cambridge, Harvard Museum of Natural History but organized much better. Reading about Hawaii's route to statehood was both interesting and depressing (hadn't realized there was controversy surrounding that issue) and the exhibits were organized and presented wonderfully. Our daughter loved the science center with the volcano at the center piece (I wish we had more time to actually read and watch the video...but as four year olds are she was busy on to the next thing). A great stop! read more

For Polynesian history and culture, this is THE place to go. Plan on several hours to visit all the halls and absorb the Polynesian artifacts, of which there are many. It's a great place to spend a rainy Hawaiian day while on holiday. The Hawaiian Hall is amazing, especially since it was refurbished several years ago. And I love the fact that it is all koa wood. You definitely get an understanding of what the Pacific Islanders endured while migrating to the various islands, and how similar the cultures and languages are. The gift shop is also pretty good, if a little pricey. Bottom line: If you're interested in Polynesian culture, skip the Polynesian Cultural Center and go to the Bishop Museum instead. read more

We joined as members last year after I won a membership at a silent auction. It was a good deal, less than the normal cost of membership, but it turned out to be well worth it - so I just joined again for 2018, and upgraded the membership so I can bring guests for free! Before we were members, we only visited on the free days, which are offered a few times/year for various special occasions (YMCA healthy kids day, Kidfest, and Bernice Pauahi Bishop's birthday). It's a great option for Hawaii families to check out the museum for free. But it's insanely crowded and hard to really enjoy the exhibits. It's worth it for us to pay and have the opportunity to really view and interact with the kid-friendly exhibits. We love checking out the interesting traveling exhibits (in the past few years, we've enjoyed the Dora Explorer, Candy, Movement, and animation exhibits), the historical Hawaiian artifacts building (our daughter likes trying out the Hawaiian instruments and looking at the portraits of the Kings and Queens), and the volcano and waves exhibit (so fun to explore!). Last year, in addition to visiting the exhibits any time we wanted to, we got to enjoy all sorts of interesting perks for free: - night member only openings for their new exhibits (animation academy and movement/science), where they hosted free special crafts or demonstrations - free parking for members! - planetarium shows! - FREE visits to a bunch of really awesome museums using the reciprocal program, http://www.astc.org. When we visited California, this meant that we didn't have to spend all our money at Disneyland - we also got to visit educational children museums for FREE - our household got free visits at really awesome places, like discovery cube, orange county (normally $18/adult, $13/kid); Children museum at La Habra; discovery cube, los ángeles (normally $13/each (online)!); natural history museum (normally $12/adult; $5 child); Kidspace (normally $13/each); and santa barbara museum natural science (normally $8.50 adults, $6 kids)! This makes the Bishop Museum membership an AMAZING deal! I bought the patron membership for $145 (I believe it's now $160/year) at the end of 2017, which allows our family to bring in a couple of guests. We're excited about inviting friends we haven't seen in awhile to join us for play dates at Bishop Museum. (Though it's disappointing that the traveling exhibits will now charge $5 for non-members). It's a little pricer than other memberships, but at least we don't have to worry about finding parking or being in the hot sun (like the zoo, sea life park, or aquarium), and there's a nice area for the kids to run around in or picnic at. Honestly, we were debating getting the membership at this level, but were sold when we learned that the entire cost of membership is tax-deductible! We love supporting this fantastic local museum through the membership program. read more

Water, Land and The Spirit World; what a great concept for the 3 floors in the main building of The Bishop Museum. This is a must-see museum for anyone to fully appreciate the Polynesian culture of Hawaii. We found that one full day does not do this place justice, you have to come back and take your time viewing all of the exhibits. You will be mesmerized by the history. This museum is very high-tech, you'll be able to use your mobile devices to listen to in-depth explanations of each display. You'll even see The Duke's surfboards, the king of surfing that introduced the sport to the world. You will not regret your time at The Bishop Museum. Make sure to take home a unique souvenir from their gift shop. Enjoy yourselves. Mahalo. read more

Bishop Museum - The history of Hawaiian tattoos as introduced by the Polynesians. - Museums Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Nothing about science is interesting to me, so imagine my surprise when out of all of the different displays in each building, the science one won me over. The room with the hot lava area; the volcano wave display; the area where water was all in the ceiling; and the spooky pathway with the neon sea, cosmos, beach, rainforest (The Hawaiian Origins Tunnel) was so dope that I went back through all of them twice. I was also fascinated by the huge, dark grass house and Pele's hair. The animation area with The Simpsons living room and storyboards and the history of voiceover actors was intriguing. I am not particularly into museums. This was just something to do initially because another plan had to wait until the next day. Boy, am I glad I came. Parking is $5. Not bad. Souvenirs are over-the-top pricey. I would recommend going right by the gift shop. read more

Perhaps the best Polynesian museum in the world. If you want to learn about the history of Hawai'i this is the place to go. They've even got the feather cloak given to Captain Cook before his death in 1779 (sic). They have other beautiful artifacts and they explain the religion of the aboriginal Hawaiians clearly and respectfully DON'T MISS IT !!! read more

If you go to one place in Oahu to learn about the history of the island and the state, I recommend coming here. You could spend hours in the Hawaiian Hall and learn about the Pacific island history. I didn't know anything about Hawaiian history and learned that, surprise, white men undermined the Hawaiian royal family and turned the country into a U.S. state. Check out the natural history building to learn about common phenomena affecting the local islands and environment. It's really good for kids. If you want to learn more about Hawaiian history, I thought the Iolani Palace tour provided a little more insight into the royal family. I do not recommend the Polynesian Cultural Center. read more

We went a couple years ago, before the renovation, so some exhibit halls were closed. We went in the morning- there were lots of other people around. There was a hula demonstration outside, in a small covered area. There is a planetarium- I fell asleep, that was easy to do, it was dark and my head was tilted back, yeah that was funny, I know. I think we used a coupon from Hilo Hattie. Such a large repository of Hawaiian history (and from the Pacific region)- from clothing, jewelry (necklaces), adornments (feathered capes- amazing, but sad at the same time), and weaponry (my husband took a picture of a cannibal fork (eek!), the shark teeth clubs were cool (ouch!). It's very interesting- you really got a sense of how life used to be. This is definitely family-friendly; the kids would be entertained. There is so much to see! We spent a couple hours here. We didn't rush it either. And there was a pretty good size crowd, too. Again, I like museums, so if you find this kind of stuff boring, it might not be for you. Highly recommend for people who want to see the historical background and artifacts from Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders. read more

I haven't been to the Bishop Museum in about 10 years. And really, not much has changed. Still have the whole main building dedicated to Hawaiian/Polynesian history and culture. and the other building that holds special exhibits was closed. So didn't have much to do here. However, the planetarium had a new show, which we enjoyed about the Hokulea and how to read the stars. Kind of cool. BISHOP HOURS & RATES: The Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum is open from Wednesday to Monday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Museum is closed on Tuesdays & Christmas. Parking is free. If you are local, be sure to ask for your Kamaaina discount - saves a bit of the full priced admission. read more

One of the things I admire so much about Hawaii (asides from their beautiful lookout points, photo opps, AMAZING food, hiking trails, beaches, hotels, and bars..lol) is their strong passion for their culture and heritage. It was a rainy day, and it was enough to really force us to stay indoors. So we decided to go to the museum! It's gigantic and you really can really get lost here. We spent the whole day here and I enjoyed learning about their history, and a lot of fun facts! This place is GREAT for RAINY DAYS and FAMILY DAYS. There are multiple sections here. From what I remember there's the building dedicated to learning about the INSECTS, PLANTS, and GEOLOGY. In this building you can watch a live preview of how to make LAVA ROCKS! Along side that, you learn about different types of lava. For those of you with children, this would be a GOOD PLACE FOR KIDS. They have a volcano model that kids can run in and out of. There is also the PLANETARIUM. Here, you learn about GREENHOUSE EFFECTS, ENVIRONMENTAL FOOT PRINTS, ATMOSPHERE, and of course the STARS! Definitely go check out the STAR GAZING SHOW. you get to see a recording of the previous night's local skies! They put it up in this domed ceiling, and you lay back in wonderful recliners and the astronomer then teaches you about the stars! Lastly, there's the actual BISHOP building where you delve into the history and culture of Hawaii and the Polynesian Islands. They built these really cool huts that are replicas of the ancient huts that tribes used to live in. You learn about the history of their ancient tools, capes, royalty, and more. There's ancient art, paintings, sculptures, jewelry, and old photo graphs. There's fun instruments and quizzes kids can play with as well as Polynesian costumes children can try on! This definitely made a rainy day a fun day! read more

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Completely enjoyed this beautiful museum and grounds. What a wonderful wealth of Hawaiian history in an absolutely gorgeous setting. So lucky to have been told about this must see location by Kipe the cultural advisor at our resort. The beaches are beautiful in Hawaii, but to truly appreciate the island and what you are privileged to be apart of, visit this museum. Also on grounds is a planetarium - fantastic !! We also enjoyed the Science Adventure Center and their hot lava show of great- they actual split molten lava out ! Nice cafe and big lawn area to enjoy a picnic lunch. read more

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It's been years since I've visited this place. I drive past it all the time and read the posters for the latest exhibits. But it was the Doraemon exhibit that finally pulled me in. As an adult, I figured the best way to see a museum was to bring along my young nieces. I was right AND wrong about this. My nieces whizzed me through their favorite sights: the giant whale hanging from the ceiling and 'how to pound poi' interactive area in the Hawaiian Hall; the floor-to-ceiling wall of shimmering metal that represented wind patterns when air pressure was forced against it, the enormous volcano with bubbling molten lava, the wave pool, the underwater cameras in the deep ocean, the dress-like-an-animal costume area, all located in the scientific center. We took a breather and sat on the Nene goose statues infront of the building. We even got to spend a LITTLE time at the Doraemon exhibit. Oh, they also rode atop the larger than life replica of a snail. This all happened in under two hours and then they were hungry, so we left. Honestly, I saw so many amazing and fascinating things but next time I'm leaving the nieces at home! There's so much I didn't get to see and learn about! It'd be nice to not do it all at warp speed! I ended up buying one of their membership packages that is a benefit to those that have kids/guests and plan to visit the museum a few times throughout the year. Just going two times with these munchkins and a guest, it already pays for itself. read more

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Our family really loves the Bishop Museum. This past trip home, we visited practically every day and the kids were not bored of it. In fact, they asked to go everyday. At the Bishop Museum, there are many things you can learn about. For example, there is a Hawaiian Hall where you can learn a lot about the Hawaiian culture and its history. They also have a traveling exhibit too. This past time, they had an animation exhibit which was fun and interactive for the kids. They also have a volcano and waves exhibit. This exhibit is also interactive for the kids as well, and they were definitely happy about each and every visit they had to the Bishop Museum. It is definitely a great place to go, not only as a visitor, but as a Hawai'i resident as well. read more

Amazing and beautiful museum. Good exhibits, manicured grounds and buildings, helpful docents. Compares well with some of the best museums in the world, like the some of the Smithsonian in DC. The only thing I would add is more stories - more about the royals, more about the overthrow, more about the politics of Hawaii independence since. read more

Absolutely love the Hawaiian Hall and could spend endless hours here. See something new every time. Wish the restaurant had decent gluten free options, but can't have everything. Take snacks cause there's nothing close by. read more

We had our first visit to the Bishop Museum yesterday with a local and I could've spent all day there! It was fantastic, especially the Hawaiian Hall with its three floors of artifacts and exhaustive exhibits. We had to take a snack break (great egg salad sandwich with a side of mac salad) and come back and I think we still missed things in the Hall. There was a shark exhibit that is currently running through September 5th that we were able to see and I was very excited to see shark poo for some reason, lol ! Picked up some books in the bookstore and headed out for our next stop. I will definitely come back here to check out the other buildings and spend more time in the Hawaiian Hall again. Everyone who worked here were very nice btw !! Parking was $5 and I was able to pay via using the Internet which was easy !! read more

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I have a patron membership at Bishop Museum and love it! It provides for two named cardholders, up to six children under 18, two free guests per visit, free general admission and parking, free admission to traveling exhibits, free parking, invitations to see-it-first Member Previews, discount in the museum shop and cafe, and my favorite free tickets to Members After Dark, an annual after-hours event. It costs $160, but well worth the cost, whether you enjoy the science museum, travelling exhibits (the theme this year is "Traveling Bricks" and all about Legos -- a must see for anyone with children or is a child at heart. I saw a father with two small children in the lego pit. While the children played, the father built a very elaborate lego ship. I asked him whether he was an engineer, and he was surprised but nodded. Hmmm..how on earth did I know?), and the cultural exhibits! There are different types of memberships so take a look online! read more

Bernice's Legacy. It makes me proud to be Hawaiian and it fills my heart to think my son wanted to spend all day here learning everything he can. Truthfully it is a great place to learn about the history of a people that were here first. read more

Bishop Museum is great to refresh your hawaiian history, also take your kids to learn new things! When we went their was a dinosaur exhibition which had dinosaur figures all around super cool ! read more

Bishop Museum - Museums Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I had the perfect visit right before going to the airport. They hold your luggage for you at five dollars per piece, So you don't have to drag them around. I learned many illuminating new things at these exhibits! read more

This is a great place to learn about Hawaii- it's history, geography, culture, and science. There were exhibits on Hawaiian royalty, sea faring, lava formation, volcanos, birds insects creatures, famous athletes. It is very kid friendly but also interesting for adults too. It was approx 25$ for admission. Would visit if it's your first time here and if you're interested in going deeper and learning more. read more

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Bishop Museum / Honolulu / HI Hours of operation: 9 AM - 5 PM Open Everyday Admission: $22.95 At Concession Stand *19.95 Online Special (BishopMuseum.org) As the 'Winter' rain delicately blanketed the remarkably charming Island Of Oahu.. almost all local and tourist related outdoor activities became obsolete. The Bishop Museum was coincidentally on our list of things-to-do, but, we couldn't find time to fit a visit until an overtly wet and rainy day fell upon us. We arrived shortly after opening at 9AM. The crowd was minimal, though, it gradually increased in size as time went on. The museum parking lot is secured with a number of neighborly parking attendants who will graciously guide you to an open parking spot, creating a consistent crowd flow and ease of mind. I didn't have to think while parking! Prior to entry, you will have to: 1.Pay for parking (Dependent on time length you anticipate) 2. Pay for admission ($22.95) The Bishop Museum grounds are magnificent. From the sophisticated architecture to their undeniably elegant gardens - just about everything within the Bishop Museum confines are delicately cared for and meticulously tended to. A heartwarming, yet, eye-opening look into the Hawaiian Island agriculture, culture, economy, past, present and future, The Bishop Museum displays the hardships, strengths, over-coming and pride that the Hawaiian / Polynesians had to carry-on despite their world turning upside down due to 'Explorers'. The stories are told through scripture, guides and audio found through various levels of the Museum which was said to have been a school in its past. What the native Islanders had to encounter and face throughout the years to date struck a light chord in my heart. It was humbling, to say the least. Fishing with rocks and sticks, exploring without inhibition and the hidden beauty the island holds - the presentation(s) here are captivating to the eye, touch, sound and mind. Along with the historical side of the Islands, they cater to the scientists and explorers nested in every single one of us. The Science Adventure Center was slightly geared towards the youngin's, with volcanic exhibits and displays that were quite informative and fully interactive.. Your inner child will appear, even for a second, and that feeling of innocence and freedom should and WILL be cherished. I laughed, inquired, explored and played around as if I was a 5 year old all over again. Overall, The Bishop Museum is an easy way to spend a few hours indoors whether it's raining.. or not! It's likely you'll learn something new, grow an appreciation and fall in love with Hawaii just as much as you did very second you stepped off that plane and saw paradise for the first time. read more

We decided to come here during our vacation so we could take a break from hanging out at the beach. The museum is very expensive! More than I was happy to spend at first, but after entering I felt the price was a little more justified. The museum is wonderfully planned out and each building is filled with wonderful exhibits both for children and adults. The Hawaiian Hall is stunning and I could have sat in this building for hours observing the pieces and beautiful architecture. I would recommend this to anyone looking to break away from the sun and sand. read more

Bishop Museum - Museums Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

The ticket prices are high for what you get. I enjoyed my time there but I wasn't overly impressed. We visited three buildings: the planetarium, the Hawaiian history building and the dinosaur/immigration building. Hawaiian History Building It's beautiful but there aren't any interactive exhibits. We walked around a bit and read some good tidbits but we spent about 20 minutes in there and we were ready to go. I enjoyed the bits about female deities and proving that their immigration stories were right. Dinosaur/Immigration Building The dinosaurs sucked! Lol They were okay to take photos with but I could hear the clicking every time they moved. I wasn't impressed. There are little costumes for kids to wear, but without hats they all just look like colored vests in photos. Upstairs there is a pretty good display about immigrants working on plantations and the history of Japanese people in Hawaii. There is also a kid's play area with space for them to crawl around, make origami or read the books that are provided. The Planetarium We went inside, but didn't stay. I did want to return to see a show (IMAX style, I believe) but we were kind of bored and the show was a few more minutes so instead of waiting we left. read more

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I think the Hawaiian history hall was really awesome. My favorite part was the top 3rd floor hall with all of the history of Hawaii's royals. Was very endearing the aspects of each persons personality and viewing their personal belongings. It made me very interested to learn more. (This part of the museum is not very interesting to children and the ones who were there the parents were having a time keeping them in control bc they were bored) Didn't bother going to the science museum since I'm not local I just wanted to see what I can't see at home... I only minus 1 star bc it was a little pricey for one building worth of exhibits that I wanted to see. 20 bucks reg, 12 military read more

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The Bishop Museum is a must visit whenever we visit Honolulu. It never fails to impress. My wife and I have visited the museum in excess of 10 times over the last 10 years. While there are many, "static" displays, there are always changing exhibits allowing us to focus on a wide variety of not only Hawaiian but Polynesian topics. The planetarium with its various shows and experiences, are extremely interesting. His most recent trip in June, we introduced our eight year old granddaughter do the wonders of the museum to say she was impressed would not cover her emotion. There is literally something for everyone in this museum whether you're interested in in-depth studies or just a cursory trip through the discovery settlement of the islands you can spend as little as an hour there or as long as two days and still have things to look at. In short, just one of the most interesting museums I've had the opportunity to visit anywhere in the world. read more

Originally, I was unimpressed by the museum. Fortunately, after wandering around Pacific Hall (which is general Polynesian history, not Hawaii specific), we found a tour being offered by a docent for free at 10:00 (she was in the front part of the museum) and joined on. She took us through the Kahili room, a great place to read up on the royals, and then into Hawaiian Hall. The real highlights of the museum are Captain Cooke's feather cloak on the first floor of Hawaiian Hall, and the third floor of Hawaiian Hall, which is a detailed exhibit on the royal family. read more

Bishop Museum - The main part of Bishop Museum. - Museums Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Ugh not enough time waaaaaah. I could have spent HOURS in the Hawaiian Hall alone, enthralled by pre-contact history and culture. The displays are well though out and informative, the architecture alone is amazing. Seeing pictures and descriptions of Hawaiian life in the 1800's was captivating. I only made it to the 2nd floor (of 3) before I had to head over for planetarium show Sky Tonight. Sky tonight show: I've always sucked at being able to locate constellations (though Orion I can always find for some reason!). This was very interesting and fun. 25 minutes flew by in what felt like 5. I didn't care for the Bucky balls or space rollercoaster portions though. Made me motion sick, I would have loved having that 5-8 minutes still exploring constellations or identifying other planets/learning more about them. These two sections are digital overlays over the night sky, and then sped up and rotated, with the stars speeding up and rotating too, not worth the time. The other exhibit hall was touch n feel geared towards kids (and grown up kids) and pretty interesting though a couple displays were broken (giraffe blood pumping, fish jaws and one other one). Coupons can be found in the Outrigger coupon book (handed out for free at a look in Beachwalk), and of course we didn't see the coupon til AFTER our visit! Full price for 2 adults with sky tonight show was $59, and $5 for parking. Gift shop had good selections as well. Staff was very informed and we honestly could have spent hours talking with them. Will definitely be back! read more

Very fun museum with tons of things to do! The prices are a bit steep and the parking you have to pay for as well. I would say this museum is a lot more suited for older kids but there is still things for little ones to do. The lava pour was so awesome to be able to see in person that was quite an experience. read more

Bishop Museum - Museums Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

We went in Aug 2021 so some COVID restrictions were still in place, but despite that, we really enjoyed the exhibitions in the Hawaiian Hall and Pacific Hall. There were a lot more to learn and see than we'd expected. We should have planned to spend the day there, but instead we had to really prioritize with 90 minutes until our next scheduled event elsewhere. The museum was well-organized and incredibly interesting. It was also interactive to some degree despite a lot of the hands-on activities being closed for COVID. We look forward to returning with the kids at a later time when things return to a more "normal" circumstance. read more

Really enjoyed the live lava pouring show... we skipped seeing the dinosaur attraction because it was literally so many exhibits read more

Bishop Museum - Bishop Museum... arrive early because the is soooo much to see and experience - Museums Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I would rate this better if they had more to do here. I recently went to the dinosaur exhibit. It's way better than the previous years! There are way more hands on activities. My kids really enjoyed this last time we went. It can only get better from here for that exhibit. I will definite be back to see it again next time. read more

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I love this museum and the new science center building is SOO cool! I cant wait to bring my family here when they visit!

This review is ONLY for the membership services, not the actual museum. I love the museum and have been a member since I moved back on the island in 2015. In November 2017, I renewed our family membership. By January we did not receive a membership card. I emailed membership@bishopmuseum.org and called 848.4187 multiple times. I probably emailed 4-5 times and called 4-5 times. In January, someone finally responded and told me that that they would immediately send me a replacement. It has been a month now. I emailed and called again and NOBODY has contacted me back. The membership costs over $100. I know i am not a large donor, but I believe I still deserve a phone call and response to my inquiry! I have not taken my kids back to Bishop because I don't have the membership card. What terrible customer service! read more

This was always my favorite place to go when I was in school, so many epic field trips. As an adult its twice as fun now I can reach every thing , all around a good time and place to learn. read more

I love visiting and it's a piece of our wonderful and rich culture. I wish they would educate the tourists more and to show respect while here. read more