Do yourself a favor and visit this place that doesn't make all the insta photos. Out guide Mike was…read moresuper knowledgeable and informative, and I am so glad we stopped by this incredible piece of history on Oahu. Street parking right outside, lovely gift shop and clean well maintained bathroom facilities.

Admittedly, over the past 20 years, we've visited these historic structures at least once a year…read moreduring Kawaiaha'o Church's annual pre-Christmas craft fair. As there are only 3 historic structures on this property, this museum is small but worth seeing if you're interested in learning about the impact of these missionaries on the native Hawaiian culture during the reign of King Kamehameha II, Kamehameha III and Queen Kaahumanu in the 19th Century. We were walking in the area when we noticed the banner which announced a Family Day Open House (FREE admission, tours and activities) this past Saturday so we made it a point to check it out. The Hawaiian Mission Houses Historical Site and Archives (HMHHSA) is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00AM to 4:00PM. General admission is $10 with discounts for Military, Seniors and Students. Tours are guided with very knowledgeable docents or you can take a self-guided tour. So, what are the Hawaiian Mission Houses? Basically there are 3 main, restored, structures dating back to the early 19th Century. But, there's MORE to just looking at these structures. In 1819, the "First Company" of missionaries (7 couples and 5 children plus 4 native Hawaiian boys) set sail from Boston to the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii) and were given direction to "raise the native peoples to an elevated state of Christian civilization" which included the teachings of the Bible and abilities to literacy. They were NOT to meddle in political affairs or other secular matters that were not directly related to religion. This direction was a mixed message and until today, the roles of the missionaries are regarded as somewhat controversial. -1821 Mission House (Ka Hale Lāau) The First Company came with pre-cut lumber and Western living essentials and erected the structure. It was built in typical New England-style, housed the missionaries and became a site where the exchange between Native Hawaiian culture and language and Western cultures and language "began". Native Hawaiians were taught the English language and became literate while the missionaries learned the Hawaiian language and culture. The American missionaries introduced Western medicine, agriculture, laws and democracy and reinforced political and economic ties with the United States. This house originally housed the 7 members of the Daniel Chamberlain family, 5 other missionary families and occasionally ailing sailors and orphans. -1831 The Chamberlain House was built using local coral blocks, lumber from salvaged ships and locally procured supplies. This larger, 2-story structure served as home, gathering place and supply center. It had an attic and cellar like most New England homes have but if you live in or have visited Hawaiian homes built in the late 19th C and 20th C, youd rarely find these features. -1841 Printing House (Ka Hale Pai) Built next to the Mission House out of coral blocks and now adapting to the local climate, the missionaries added this structure originally as an extra bedroom or living quarters. It was soon converted into housing the first printing press which was originally set up in a grass house. The Mission's Print House produced the first materials printed in the Hawaiian language and showed how the native Hawaiians and missionaries worked together. While strolling the grounds of these mission houses and Kawaiaha'o Church, I could feel history come alive and see how much life has changed in Hawaii.

I been here to many times I love this place for the peace, relaxing and how beautiful it is, but my…read morelast 2 visits were not so great. Visitors were cutting off, loud, kids out of control screaming, running, place filthy, rubbish around. Which staff set a higher standard to bring a friendly reminder, call out to those visiting to remain in their best behavior, use slow voice, be patient to everyone, mostly live with Aloha and enjoy!

This cute little garden is located on the ground level of Honolulu International Airport near Gate…read more14. It's a nice view as you walk from the check in counter to the gare! I personally enjoy the Golden roofed Pavillion, the auspicious statue of Dr. Sun Yat Sen, and the turquoise tile trimmed Chinese bridge! It's a bit warm here because of the cheerful Hawaiian sunshine... then the cool and gentle tropical trade winds lightly flow through the garden and take away all of your cares... Situated right next to the Hawaiian Garden, this Chinese Garden reminds me of my culture that my grandmother really encouraged me to embrace! Next time you're at the main terminal of the airport, take a look! It's free, pretty, and peaceful... A true hidden gem!

What an amazing event! I had a blast with Yelp Elite All Star Buddy Irene M…read more I always wanted to see this event with the local food vendors, entertainment, and Bishop Museum as well! It drizzled a little bit but that did not deter us from enjoying all the great finds, food and entertainment. Loved the Lego exhibition! This was a favorite highlight of this event. I enjoy putting LEGO kits together. Amazing display of flags and so much more here. Please enjoy the pictures. Then I got to experience Dipped by Dee for the first time. Wow, the dipped strawberries are delicious. I picked up a s'mores dipped apple for consumption at a later time. Also delicious and decadent. A bit on the pricey side, but worthy of the occasional treat. And the sushi hand roll I had was so fresh and amazing. I can't remember the name of the vendor. As the sun went down, we enjoyed the great entertainment and cool trade winds blowing through the air. Highly recommend this event! Parking was free with ASB debit card. Nice perk.

Happy. National Girlfriend Day…read more.. It's the first of August and my semi-weekend starts and as I do like events Taste of Honolulu at Bishop Museum was going on tonight along with a bunch of food and retail business sprawled out on the Great Lawn along with entertainment and full use to all exhibits including Aloha Bricks which is what Yelp Elite Jackie K wanted to see and what better way than this. For ASB card holder parking is free along with various discounts at some merchants it's like the entire state coming together to celebrate our amazing local small businesses and we get to show up and enjoy it all. It's all very very well put together along with some games for the kids, beer garden and the massive space Bishop Museum has for all to enjoy. It was a real treat and so much fun as we brought our own chairs to relax and enjoy it all. Whether it's to eat, drink, visit the museum or just chill this is one unique event that really do showcase the Tastte of Honolulu. Thank you!

"Abstraction allows man to see with his mind what he cannot see physically with his eyes…read more.. Abstract art enables the artist to perceive beyond the tangible, to extract the infinite out of the finite. It is the emancipation of the mind. It is an exploration into unknown areas." - Arshile Gorky After recent visits to the Hawai'i State Art Museum and Honolulu Museum of Art, we were inspired to visit this art museum. This Contemporary Museum at the First Hawaiian Center is an extension of the Honolulu Museum of Art. It features the work by artists of Hawai'i who use a variety of media and displays can be found in the bank's lobby and second floor mezzanine. Exhibits and artistic works are routinely rotated. The museum isn't very large and usually has enough space to feature 3 artists at a time. I can't express how the different artwork affected my senses and emotions as everyone will have their own impression(s). You may or may not feel or see what I have seen or what the artist was trying to express. However, when you come to the First Hawaiian Center, you'll also be impressed with the architecture. The former CEO and Chairman of First Hawaiian Bank, Walter A. Dods, Jr, is responsible for completing and opening Hawai'i's tallest building. Distinctive architectural features bring in as much natural sunlight as possible, views from its mountain-side use vertically-proportioned windows and ocean-facing views can be seen through horizontally framed windows that capture the sea and horizon. The building's shape resembles a knife as it "slashes through" its banking competition, Bank of Hawai'i. If you happen to be in Downtown Honolulu's Financial District, check out this museum. Explore and discover the unknown.

The Contemporary Museum is located inside the main branch of First Hawaiian Bank. It occupies…read moresections of the first and second floors. A person would need to take the stairs to get to the second floor. I'm unsure if the art gallery wing on the second floor can be accessed by the elevators...if they do then a person would have to pass the FHB workers in order to get to the gallery First Hawaiian Bank and Honolulu Museum of Art just had their 20th anniversary of partnership in 2016. Paintings and art sculptures on the two levels are part of the First Hawaiian Bank's art collections. Individuals are able to browse both levels for free. All art in the museum were done by individuals growing up in Hawaii or from transplanted former residents of the island. I recommend everyone to stop by the Contemporary Museum in the Downtown Honolulu location of First Hawaiian Bank. 10/100

Update 08/16/25 A…read moregreat neighborhood event to bring families together to eat, dance and learn about the Bon Dance festivities and culture. Today's weather is a warm 81 degrees. It feels closer 90 degrees! It may rain a bit in the evening. The Bon Dance participants are wearing Happi coats or full kimono wear! I hope they hydrate and take a breather in this hot and humid weather. Everything starts around 4:30 pm. You need to come early to partake in the home baked goodies and foods! Many times the favorite foods sell out quickly. Parking is very limited here. Dropping off older adults and children are highly recommended. Police and volunteers are present here to assist you. Some metered parking is available near Cartwright Park. Come one and all! Please enjoy the pictures and videos I took of the event. Thank you Tess! Videos and pictures are not viewable unless you access my older 2024 review or general photos for event!

Bon Dance season in Honolulu, Hawaii... The last one of this season (8-20-22)…read more.. Every year, Japanese culture celebrates the passing of their loved ones. The Obon Festival in Hawaii is a big thing. Many different churches around Oahu sponsor Bon Dances - it's kind of like a carnival/fundraiser without rides. There's lots of good food and music. My friend got some of us together to volunteer. At first, we were setting up the "Go For Broke" booth which sold Limited Edition Aloha Shirts, t-shirts, videos, paper fans, magnets, etc. Later, we shifted to the food booths and sold andagi (Okinawan donuts), poke bowls (new item), and chow funn (the only Bon Dance to have this on their menu). Other tables sold bentos, spam musubi, shave ice, and more! We were so busy that I didn't get a chance to get photos of the food! I was able to sneak away and look at the hapi coats and Bon Dance towels. They are useful souvenirs that I can wear next year if we volunteer again... LOL! Overall, it was fun and crowded. We got there early at 3pm (started at 4:30pm), so we got great parking. However, we were blocked in because they used the driveway for an outdoor dining area. The good things were seeing people dressed in kimonos and hapi coats, watching the dancers and drummers, and looking at the festive, colorful lanterns while the Japanese music played cheerfully! Note: everyone was asked to wear a mask inside of the Social Hall where the food was being sold. Outside (where the beverages and dancing took place), masks were not required.)

It's really cool. I think it's a very popular landmark. They really have taken care of this…read moregarden for years and it really shows at how it has been maintained well for so long. The cactus are finely curated and it's definitely something nice to walk through - especially if you're on a nice hot girl walk to KCC Farmer's Market. LOL

The Cactus Garden on the campus of KCC is remarkable. I stumbled upon the garden while visiting the…read moreFarmer's Market. The plants are huge and lush. The garden is the brainchild of Moriso Teraoka. Teraoka began planting the garden in 1988, starting many of the plants from seed. Many volunteers have joined the effort. The garden gives the campus a beautiful spot to explore and contemplate. A nice paved path runs through the garden. The garden is open to the pubic (free) and attracts many plant lovers. There is free parking near the garden. There is a public restroom not too far from the garden. Plan 30 minutes to an hour to walk through.

Its a bookstore / art and music aficionados. Its very laid back and chill or randomly open like a…read morelibrary but certain books have competitive prices, sometimes good, sometimes not so good! Lol They're moving soon and hope their new place is bigger and better ! Aloha

Shopping while supporting a good cause in Honolulu, Hawaii…read more.. The Annual Friends Of The Library Book Sale was an exciting event for me back in the day. I remember going to McKinley High School cafeteria - with no air conditioning - and hunting through tables and tables of books! Some books were in boxes on the floor and others were in boxes on the benches which were attached to the tables. There were long lines of people waiting to get in. I'd park far away and walk across the dusty field to search for all kinds of books! I still believe that books are our friends! They provide loads of information and companionship! I would read for hours at a time... Nowadays, there are Kindles, eBooks, audible books, and downloadable books. I still prefer the good old fashioned hardcover or paperback book! There's something about turning real pages; using bookmarkers between pages; writing in the margins; and underlining important phrases and ideas! When I saw the email from my Credit Union about the Friends Of The Library Book Sale, I marked it on my calendar. I couldn't make it on the first day (6-17-23), but I was there on the second day! I could have gone on the preview day (June 16) Because I am a member of the Hawaii State Federal Credit Union, but I wasn't organized enough to schedule myself for it. Parking for free at the South Shore Market is a big bonus because it's covered parking! The entrance to the Book Sale is on Auahi Street, across from the Crazy Shirts Outlet. Enter the air conditioned, spacious room where the volunteers are friendly and helpful! Books are organized by subject matter (Ex: cooking, history, fiction, etc.). CDs, DVDs, artwork, and crafts are available, too. Check out the vintage collectable items! I found a copy of my dad's yearbook for $20. I was so happy to see his Senior Class picture - on Father's Day - and see what kind of clubs he had joined! If you are a member of the Friends Of The Library or a member of the Hawai'i State Federal Credit Union, just show your card and get 10% off your purchase! It's such a great deal! The last day of this year's sale is on June 25, 2023 - between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.... And everything is 50 cents!!! If you can't go on June 25th, go on June 24th where everything is half off! #supportlocal

Very interesting concept though not the first shopping mall to host one on Oahu since Shirokiya…read moreused to host a small one at the center stage at Ala Moana Center. This one was much bigger. [BON DANCE] They had a class explaining how to dance some songs before the bon dance. Then during the dance it rotated between recorded music with Koolau Sakura Odori Kai and then live music by Aiea Taiheiji Yagura Gumi. [FOOD] In addition to special items at various mall vendors the Windward Buddhist Temple sold andagi, takuan and boiled peanuts. The food sold out relatively fast. By the time I got there around 1pm they were already sold out of boiled peanuts. I know I will probably get in trouble for say thing this but something about the andagi was little bit off today and in true local fashion I confirmed this by asking friends try taste this does it seem off to you. It wasn't bad it's just not the andagi that I know and love from them. Why the 5 star review? This is their first year doing it and seeing how smoothly it seemed to go was outstanding. Hopefully it only gets better from here and becomes a tradition at the mall.