Awesome place to learn about the history of Hawaii.... we were here for just over two hours and we could've been here a good solid four hours....also check the times if you want to see something because there are set times for some demonstrations read more

What a let down. For being the most recommended museum in the state this is pretty pathetic. The only part of this museum worth seeing would be the Hawaiian History exhibits. But the stars, dinosaurs, and black light "exhibits" look like something you'd find at a high school science fair. Honestly I feel bad for the kids of Hawaii. Instead of a library you should ask Obama to build an amazing science & history museum. Sad. read more

So much to see (almost too much to see). So much in fact, I didn't even realized we missed a couple of exhibits dammit! Hawaiian Hall was beautifully laid out & we spent quite a bit of time & learned a lot circling the floors. The kids however LOVED the Life Through Time Dinosaurs exhibit as well as the Richard T. Mamiya Science Adventure Center which had a bunch of interactive exhibits that the entire family was able to participate in (they even had a demo on lava flow where they actually made their own simulated version of lava & volcanic glass). Well worth the price & the kids could've probably spent all day within the grounds.. read more

This is truly an amazing museum. Give yourself a couple hours to wander through the exhibits and really take them in.

The Bishop Museum was a great way to start off my trip to Hawaii. I enjoyed seeing all of the artifacts of the gods I learned about. I was cool to see Hawaii's past in person. One thing I thought was wicked cool to see was a whole hat made out of little feathers! read more

Over February break, a large group of students from my high school went to Hawaii for and E.L.O trip. Before the trip,​ we did a lot of research on Hawaiian culture and history ​so many of us were excited to see the many exhibits that this museum has to offer. The museum itself is absolutely gorgeous and it got better as we went inside. The Hawaiian Hall was stunning and I found all of the artifacts to be extremely interesting. On the other side of things, the Science Adventure Center focused on a more interactive style of learning and I can imagine that it would be a really fun experience for kids (I know as high schoolers we had a blast!). We were also lucky enough to be there while the Rapa Nui exhibit was on display. It was really interesting to learn about the culture of Easter Island beyond the famous Easter Island heads. I highly recommend visiting this museum if given the chance! read more

The Bishop Museum is definitely a go to place whether you are local or tourist. If you are a local kid growing up you have probably been here going to field trips and doing sleep overs here. The Museum showcases a lot of cool things about Hawaii, it's history, it's culture, and some other cook science kind of stuff. There's a Polynesian/Hawaiian museum which showcases artifacts and such about old Hawaii and it's rich history during the days of Kamehameha. One really cool thing that I like to look at inside that museum is the huge Whale that is up on top by the ceiling. One can educate oneself a lot by visiting this place. The Science Center is a cool place where you get to see lava shows inside a huge artificial lava cave. The lava shows are super cool because they get to see artificial hot molten lava get poured out of a furnace which they do after a presentation. There's a lot of fun and interactive things that you get to learn and do inside. There are lava activities, ocean activity learning about tsunamis/waves, and other stuff about the Hawaiian Islands. The planetarium is a cool place where you learn about space kind of stuff and the stars and the sky. Sometimes they have shows going on during the day where you get to learn more about that kind of stuff. There's another area where they usually show exhibits like about Dinosaurs, Circus, Asian Americans, Cars, and other cool interactive science related kind of stuff. The staff and customer service is good. The admission for adults and kids is decent. There is a special rate for Kama'aina locals and military. Sometimes they have family days during the weekend were the whole family gets to come in for free and they have a lot of fun stuff. Sometimes they also have special events happening here like Festivals and stuff. There are also special group rates especially for tourist and school groups. It's set in the heart of Kalihi right around the Kapalama area by Damien High School, Kam Shopping Center, the elementary school. I highly recommend this cool place for any visitor and guest of Hawaii. Excellent place to go for the keiki. Yelp 365 Challenge #221/365 read more

I'm giving 4 stars, instead of 5 stars. Only because of one thing, being charged for parking upon their property. Been visiting the museum almost all my life, even when it was free admission for a very long time. The credit card payment system, is slow and outdated. They do not take cash. However, the exhibition is spot on, high quality, great docents. However, gift shop is so over priced. But, I'll keep returning, but find parking on the street. read more

Overall, I enjoyed this Museum. It was nice, hot, and quiet when I went. They had a nice bug collection as well as featured guitar exhibit. I liked the Planetarium because I enjoy astronomy. I did not get to explore a lot because of time, but they have plenty of events going on. I could have easily planned the whole day with the events. It's an easy museum to navigate. I would definitely revisit. read more

A very interesting place with lots of information. Too bad half of it was under construction or closed during our visit. The planetarium was neat but left quite a bit to be desired. Be wary of surprise rules. We were walking the Polynesian Hall and entered the Hawaiian Hall through the top floor only to be yelled at to stop taking pictures. We apologized and asked if it was posted anywhere to see if we had missed something. The sign was only posted in the entryway on the ground floor. Doh! We also walked on a gravel path only too see a sign on the end saying to keep offmof the path. We went back to see if we missed it that time but we found nothing. The new interactive area for children was really neat. Good times but we were too afraid of breaking unseen rules by the end. read more

I haven't been here in over 25 years. Luckily I know someone who works here that was able to give a short tour of some of the highlights. Mike E. you are the best, love your enthusiasm for Hawaiiana and everything Hawaii. I learned some new stuff about my birthplace. Definitely coming back at e as members next time. Still weird we have to pay for parking, shouldn't that go back to the musuem? read more

If you're looking to learn a bit about the island this is definitely worth the visit! Had plenty of artefacts from past royalty and other honourable people. Reminds me of a Natural History museum and a science centre as they have a separate building. Very interactive for the kids (and adults that act like kids)! If you're looking to fill a time spot this is definitely it, if you're truly engaged prepared on spending a few hours there! read more

Being a part of a school trip, this experience was included as one of the educational sites that we would visit, but it was also made fun for all of us. The artifacts and other sculptures inside were very intriguing and cool to see. What I enjoyed a lot was the life-size whale and other things as well. The hut that was also displayed as an example of what was lived in was very cool to see, especially that the roof was made of straw. The hands on and walk through part of the exhibits grabbed all of our attention and made it much more enjoyable . read more

This museum was awesome! There were many exhibits that would talk about the Polynesian migration and how people got to Hawaii. There were also different building you were able to go in. One of them had a giant interactive volcano! There were buttons on the side of the railing to make gas bubbles in the water on the top of the volcano. This place is perfect for kids. Another part of the museum also has a seal in the water that is very cool to observe. The museum does have a gift shop, however, it's pretty expensive. Some building don't allow flash photography, but bring a camera to remember the museum!!! read more

Great location under one roof to study and learn about the history of Hawaii, Polynesia, and outter Pacific Islands from Gods, culture, tools, clothing, ocean traveling, etc... It cost about $20-$25 per person. There are two main bldgs to tour and a small garden to walk through depicting a variety of local vegetables and fruits. You can finish this tour in under 3 hours. read more

This place is great! I am a 25 year old adult and I enjoyed all the interactive activities in all of the exhibits. I was so blown away by the amount of exhibits and buildings there were and I don't think I could ever see everything but what I did see was fantastic. The docents were all very knowledgeable and friendly and the information given was really great. I will definitely be back! read more

So much fun. Great presentations. Easy to follow the journey. Really neat castle looking building. The grounds are well kept and the place was really clean. Outdoor garden, and hands on things for the kids. My daughter is 9 and had a blast. Great rainy day activity. I think my favorite part of the whole thing was the wood. So beautiful. read more

Really enjoyed looking at the variety of ancient Hawaiian and political history of Hawaii. I'm a sucker for ancient artifacts and this has them, along with a detailed explanation of the artifacts' use, significance, and for many of them---how they were discovered and/or brought back from the foreign land. Great place to visit. read more

Fascinating collection, more anthropological than natural history. The exhibit about how the islands were colonized is an absolute must for anyone visiting and curious about the culture. Also, seeing hot lava poured is pretty cool, too! I'd have given 5 stars except for the fact that they could use more docents and/or more signs to tell you in what order to go through the exhibits. read more

This is a review of membership. i have an annual membership. went to the museum and there were 50-60 people in line to get in. i asked at the membership desk if there was a separate line for those with annual memberships, no, only one line. Too bad they don't treat those who invest in the museum better. They are not charging extra to view the rotating exhibits in the castle building even for those with existing memberships. Again there is a lack of consideration for those who take a little extra step to support the museum. they seemed to have lost their way. read more

I only go to Bishop Museum when the YMCA has their Healthy Kids Day event there every year. This year, my bf & i were stationed to make sure that everyone coming through the doors had a pink or orange wristband on in order to enter. Any OUT OF STATE VISITORS or BISHOP MUSEUM MEMBERS would have to pay or provide their BMM Card to the person working in the booth up front. Well, after a couple of upset people...we asked the staff that were located in the Gift Shop about this process & they said with a short response "No. OUT OF STATE VISITORS do not get to participate in the Healthy Kids Day event with the Y. Bishop Museum Members would have to show their card at the booth, then go down to the registration table (which was near the museum entrance on the lawn) & get a wrist band in order to participate in the event, otherwise they could only go to the museum part" -- NONE OF THIS WAS EXPLAINED TO ANY OF THE YMCA STAFF. So before it was 9am when the doors opened, my bf & i & the other YMCA staff were telling everyone that there was only 1 line to get in because thats what they said. Then we had the Bishop Museum employees just bringing people to the front, from the back, & letting them in early. *WTF* f'reals. Their staff really needs to check their attitude, & before getting all panties in a bunch make sure that they explained their process to EVERYONE before jumping the gun & talking smack about us. how could they monitor ppl in the health kids day event when there were over 3,000 ppl there?! i dont think so. i dont get it. they just want to get their $5. read more

Perfect venue for special events. The museum itself offers great educational tools for visitors to learn from. Displays are great and interesting!!! read more

A must see on Oahu to appreciate Hawaii to the fullest! You can spend endless hours in the museum admiring the history!

Had a great day here. My daughter and I spent several hours there. Our favorites....kahili room...science center....plant shark. Planetarium was ok but very hard to watch...wished the chairs leaned back a little more...and the big lens thing was in my way. read more

Bishop museum is actually an eclectic array of different museum buildings covering different areas of study. There's one collection of Hawaiian and Polynesian artifacts, as well as another on volcanology and geology of the islands, and one more that has a planetarium. It was interesting if you're a culture nerd like me, and enough fun to kill a couple hours while on Oahu. It was fun, good for kids, and worth an excursion away from the beach, unless you're absolutely devoted to getting skin cancer and ogling. read more

You must see this. You must also alot more than one day to see everything. Take the time to attend the hula and the third floor tour. The lady that leads these is wonderful. read more

I wish I had more time to visit . We only had about 1 1/2 hours to kill before we turned in our rental car. We visited the polynesian hall and what we saw was interesting. The gift shop was well appointed, lots of good stuff there. great for kids. read more

I loved the Bishop Museum. They have such a wide variety of exhibits about the Hawaiian culture. I was lucky to go there when the Alfred Shaheen exhibit was on and got to see the most beautiful fabric prints and dresses. The permanent exhibit hall is gorgeous as well and full of interesting artifacts and history. I don't know if I'd take young children here, maybe Tweens/teens. Definitely a must see if you're in Honolulu. read more

I visited Bishop Museum a long time ago during middle school on a class field trip and just recently went back. At the time that I went they had the Duke Kahanamoku exhibit going on. It was fun learning things about the man. I loved walking through all of the exhibits, viewing all of the artifacts like a little kid again. They have daily demos, tours, and shows going throughout the day, the two that I went to were the lava melting demo and planetarium show. I'm taking a star away because some of the cool equipment in the science center weren't working. Overall, I know Bishop Museum cannot compare to bigger mainland museums but it does its job of informing people about a variety of subjects and entertains them doing it. read more

Amazing artifacts from Hawaii and the Pacific. Worth your time if you can afford it. The admissions fee is high and they just started charging for parking, which was a surprise and seemed unnecessary. read more

I enjoyed going here with my husband, it's been like over 35 yrs since I last been here. Good to see the old plus the new additions. Wanted to go to the planetarium but we always missed it. Next time.. read more

Free parking! And the museum is fun and informative for children and adults alike. The Castle building housed an extensive collection of Hawaiian cultural and historical exhibits and the building itself is beautiful. The recently opened Duke Kahanamoku exhibit was bright, entertaining, and filled with aloha. We saw the dinosaurs in the science building and the other exhibits there (wind, sand, water, volcanoes, etc) were fun for everyone, again. I wish I had gotten an annual membership earlier. read more

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We went to the Laser show. it was ok. Not really sure what I was expecting, but it wasn't really a 'WOW' experience for me or the family. Parking lot was dark, and the security guard.. wearing dark blue/black didn't help out much either as we haven't been to the museum for a while. so it was a bit confusing on where to park/go. read more

Definitely a cool place. The Hawaii Hall is amazing. One of the most beautiful and well laid out exhibitions I have ever saw. I was totally impressed. The employees were friendly. I can't give 5 stars solely based on the price. I feel it is to expensive. But military can pick up discount tickets at ITT. We had ALOT of fun in the Sci center. Don't miss the planetarium, but I do not recommend it for small children!! read more

Love, love, love the Bishop Museum! We are members (Patrons) so that gets our family in, 2 adults, up to 5 children, and 2 guests whenever we go, but the membership is tax-deductible and it's a great resources on so many levels. This year I've taken my daughter to an exhibit on the history of Candy and Shark: Predator or Prey...she loves both. Not to mention there's always something new to learn. There's also the Planetarium, the new science exhibit, with lots to touch and explore, and Hawaii Hall with 3 floors dedicated to Hawaiian history, as well as the newly renovated Polynesian Hall. Like I said, there's so much to learn. Parking used to be free, now it's $5 unless you're a member. The meter asks for your license plate number, so remember to write it down or snap a pic of it before heading to the pay box or you'll be running back to your car. The cafeteria is reasonable with a good variety of foods, plus very yummy deserts. You can also just bring in a picnic and eat it on grounds, they have benches or bring a blanket and sit under a lauhala tree. read more

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I haven't been there in a while, but I do pass by sometimes as I'm going home. I used to go to a lot of the dinosaur exhibits when I was in elementary and middle school. They were really interesting and interactive. There were knowledgable personnel that would conduct activities with the children and would also provide information content for the older crowd. I'm not sure if they still have it, but they also used to have an ethnic exhibit that allowed you to track your geneology and learn about your heritage. There was also a video game-looking thing that allowed you to enter your different ethnicities and the machine would allow you to make a plate lunch with foods from each of those countries. It was really interesting and fun. read more

Enjoy taking educational classes and seminars about Native Hawaiian culture and tradition.

Pretty good place for the whole family. Food was okay a little bit higher than expected. Overall it's good.

Absolutely a breathtaking meseum, a must visit when you're in Oahu. I love history and you get to learn about the Kings and Queens of Hawaii and the culture here. We were also very lucky to catch the dinosaur exihibit. Love it. read more

My husband and I love Bishop Museum. We get to learn something new every time we visit and Marcus Quinones does some awesome presentations. I love the new exhibits that they have year round and my husband loves looking in the museum and learning about our Hawaiian Culture. read more