I enjoy the walk outside on their grounds when the weather is nice. The view of Hilo is amazing. I…read morelove seeing the vegetation they planted and growing every visit. It's a nice outdoor experience.

Such a cool experience for me and my children. I can't believe I've never heard of this place. My…read morekids are 7 and 9 and they really enjoyed themselves. There were fun interactive games, lots of hands on activities and cool tech to play with. We really enjoyed the planetarium and the showing of Spark, as well as all the Hawaiiana info. The staff was super friendly and knowledgeable. The gift shop was cute and offered lots of neat souvenirs. Highly recommend visiting if you can.

The UH-Hilo Performing Arts Center (also known as the UH-Hilo theater) is one of the primary…read morelocations for drama, concerts, and music on the east side of the Big Island. The theater brings in both local and international performers and is the site for many student performances from UH-Hilo and Hawaii Community College. An annual highlight is the UH-Hilo International Student Association's "International Nights" held every February. Student and community performances are featured from over a dozen countries from around the Pacific, Asia, North America, and Europe. That the event is student coordinated is especially impressive. Facilities are quite nice. Though the outside looks worn, the interior is comfortable, clean, and professional. I especially appreciate that the facility is wheelchair accessible since my mom loves to attend shows. When she is in a wheelchair, we are seated on the top row with a great view since no seat is too far from the stage. The box office is once again easily accessible at the entrance to the building. Previously it was hidden in the back of the building during the construction of a nearby building. Most tickets can be bought in person, over the phone, or online. There are often discounts for students, senior citizens, and alumni. Facilities are available for rent by non-university affiliated organizations if conducting "charitable, civic, community, cultural or educational activities which are operated on a not-for-profit basis and whose activities are appropriate for such facilities where the use does not infringe upon, delay or conflict with the normal operations of the University" (http://artscenter.uhh.hawaii.edu/FacilityUseInformation.php).

I've been both a performer on the stage here as well as a member of the audience. I think this is…read moreone of the best stages to perform on - as well as watch a production of any kind. Highly recommend this place. One of the best of the best in Hilo.

The 100 year old Palace Theater is truly a gem in downtown Hilo. Friendly and welcoming, it is the…read morehome of live theater, concerts, movies and community events, and is open several nights a week in a town that usually rolls up the sidewalks early. Itʻs a must see if youʻre visiting Hilo. Learn more at https://hilopalace.com/

The town of Hilo has a rich history with amazing stories and buildings. One of the highlights of a…read morerecent visit was visiting the Palace Theater. The lobby is open and welcoming with a cafe, exhibits, and advertisements for events and shows. The staff here were also welcoming, inviting us to come in and explore. We walked around the theater proper, enjoyed the art, and went to the basement. Even if you aren't coming for a show, I recommend visiting on a walk around town. There are also great restaurants, markets, and stores nearby.

I find myself needing to leave a review because of a negative review I read here today. I always…read moretell tourists this is an awesome spot if they want to get a feel of the real parts of the island, albeit not fancy, not expensive, not anything like you would expect. The first time I went here I was like, "wow, this is different." It really is and if you like jazz, you must try the Monday night jazz jam. There is no cover, although there should be. Bub the owner runs this jam every single Monday night no matter what the holiday or what's happening in town. Yes, he is different than maybe you and certainly me, but he is a loving, wonderful, caring individual even though he's against masking and has a different viewpoint on covid. So what, many people do. The sax player who was disrespectful was indeed kicked out of the joint and that guy hasn't been seen since. Its a shame too, cause he was at one time in his life a good sax player. Alas, the dude cannot handle his liquor. Anyway, I just wanted to say that despite what you read from a couple people about this place, it's a GEM and a real treat to experience a Monday night there. I don't partake in any other events that he throws in there but a lot of people do and it's a safe space. I'll support Bub always.

My friend and I got harassed by the older sax player that frequents jazz night. Many people stood…read moreby and watched this happen. After speaking out about it, other women of Hilo reported that he had also harassed and even unconsensually kissed them. None of the "regulars" confronted him or held him accountable. We also watched him call other fem presenting people "hot" and "sexy" from up on stage. Shared my story on fb and the owner, Bub, was tagged. He commented on the post sharing his sincere apologies for our experience. He stated this goes against kukuau studio values and shared that this man would be completely banned from the studio!

Totally awesome experience we were in Hilo for a short stay & sightseeing, The Lyman museum of…read moreHawaiian cultural, history and ocean biology was just the ticket. Great help by Cindy. She was the museum curator. Very funny & just a Lovely person, had a great time with the kids . Had a great time , clean and family, friendly highly recommend.

After experiencing the Panaewa Rainforest Zoo and Gardens (please reference my review if…read moreinterested), we made the 18 minute drive to Lyman Museum. I must admit, when Google Maps announced our arrival, I was skeptical of the museum based on the appearance of the building. However, that feeling dissipated when we entered the building and were greeted by a friendly employee at the front counter. After paying the very small admission fee, another friendly employee gave us a brief overview of how to navigate the exhibits. The first exhibit was centered on one of my favorite childhood interests...volcanoes! I was taking a walk down memory lane as I relearned the root cause of volcanic eruptions and the history of Hawaii's active volcanoes. Afterwards, we learned about the various habitat types, mammals, and birds. The next following exhibits were focused on Hawaii's complicated (in my opinion) history. Although all of the content was interesting to some capacity; the following three topics stood out: sugar plantations, the educational system, and the annexation of Hawaii by the United States. Although the information is presented in an unbiased form, it shaped my opinion of how native Hawaiians (along with other ethnic groups) were mistreated, the United States' role in attempting to completely sanitize the Hawaiian education system (i.e., being punished for speaking their native language in school), and the events that led to the Hawaiian government being overthrown by the United States. As most museums, I walked away with mixed feelings. I learned a lot about Hawaiian culture, but also felt torn in my decision to visit (support) a place that has been essentially cleansed of its true culture and taken over by Americans (yes I know that there are other places that have been similarly impacted). I highly recommend that visitors take the time out of their vacation to visit this museum and enlighten themselves with Hawaiian history.

I'm smiling just thinking about this place because if I could ever imagine a tropical paradise,…read morethis would be it. Best money spent on the Big lsland. At $35 for adults, $25 for kids aged 6-12, and free for kids 5 and under-- it's money well spent. Some might call this place pricey but after coming here, I disagree. Places like this are so rare and unique that they can just take my money. I've never been to a garden so full of exotic plants, flowers that I'd never seen before, mini waterfalls, a pond, and to top it all off-- getting to see the ocean waves crashing onto the lava rocks at the end of the garden. Prior to this I had never seen orchids growing in the wild off of tree trunks. These guys were everywhere here. And how do I know this place is cool even for Gen Z?-- I caught my 20 year old nephew taking videos of a beautiful flower that he was admiring. Of course I didn't make a huge deal out of it because he would have blown me off. Once you walk the paths and over the bridges, you can see how meticulously this garden is maintained. When you find out the history of how Mr. Dan Lutkenhouse Sr. and his wife Pauline who bought this parcel of land back in 1977 and decided to turn it into a garden, you'll be even more amazed. There was no machinery used to turn this place into the garden it is today. It was 40 years of Dan and his assistant Terry Takiue who worked with *just* cane knives, sickles, picks, shovels and a chainsaw to clear paths through the jungle. Another fun fact: He had no formal training in botanical gardening... Insert mind blown emoji here... Can you imagine that?? I can only respect that these guys did this just so that we could enjoy this garden paradise for us and future generations to see. Bravo to this place coming from our fam that came and loved it.

The variety of plant life here is huge. The walkways for the most part are very steep and paved…read more but there are also handrails and benches. The grounds are spectacular with so many varieties of flowers and flowering plants. The waterways and waterfalls have a calming effect splashing over rocks and between ferns. There is a small gift shop, but as far as refreshments go, they only sell popsicles or small boxes of water.

Finally made it here for my very first merrie monarch hula festival in April. There is lot of…read moreparking all over the place so even with a packed stadium we were able to find a stall. It's open air so it's nice and breezy and sometimes even a bit cold. There are a lot of bathrooms there so the wait isn't so bad. I hope to return to this stadium next year and be on that stage!

Seeing the location of the Merry Monarch programs every year was an experience. The stadium looks…read moresmaller to me in person than on television. It's good use of space.

great dance studio! my granddaughter attends a class there on fridays and loves it! she's been…read morethere for two years and thinks the teachers are great!

I have an 11 year old grandson who sits on the computer every waking minute and an 15 year old…read moregranddaughter who never showed any signs of coordination nor interest in sports. Center stage has been a blessing for both children. They have inner action with other children and are taught to focus and follow instructions without it being to structured. They both look forward to every class. The 15yr. old was so awkward the first few lessons we video taped it and laughed our heads off. After only a couple of months she is amazing and practices constantly. This is the only thing the 11 year old has shown any interest in besides the computer. The instructors are attentive and personal with all the children.