Bishop Museum
Bishop Museum was founded in 1889 by Charles Reed Bishop in honor of his late wife, Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, the last descendant of the royal Kamehameha family. The Museum was established to house the extensive collection of Hawaiian objects and royal family heirlooms of the Princess.
The museum was built on the grounds of Kamehameha School, built by Princess Pauahi for the purpose of educating Hawaiian children. After the Kamehameha School moved to the top of the hill in the 1960s, Bishop museum expanded and evolved into a magnificent scale museum centered around the Pacific Hall and Hawaiian Hall. On the outskirts of the site, the Bishop Hall from the time of Kamehameha School, still remains. When it was first established, the Bishop Museum’s collection was a collection of Hawaiian arts and crafts and royal arts and crafts inherited by Princess Pauahi and now, with more than 25 million cultural arts and crafts, literature and photographs from all over Hawaii and Polynesia, the Pacific Islands holds this valuable collection.
Purpose of Activity
The Bishop Museum, which originates from Kamehameha School still inherits the intention to educate Hawaiian children and functions as an educational place to deepen pride in Hawaii’s traditional culture. It is also a major research institute for natural and cultural history in the Pacific region, and its research and educational programs are recognized worldwide. We envision a future in which all people understand, respect, and harness their intellectual property in Hawaii’s cultural heritage and natural history.
Activities
The Bishop Museum is making outstanding and continuous improvements in meeting the needs and expectations of the region. Their collections are stored in the best possible way, maintaining Hawaii’s history and sharing Hawaii’s story with the world. The Bishop Museum, an intellectual property, is a gathering place for people to learn about Hawaii’s unique cultural heritage and natural environment. Today, we continue to provide opportunities for learning and relaxation to people in Hawaii and around the world through exhibitions of various collections, regular exhibitions, and events.
Tour Information
Japanese Guided Tour
Culture Program
History
- 1889
- Husband Charles Reed Bishop establishes Bishop Museum in memory of Princess Bernice Pauahi, the last direct descendant of the Kamehameha royal family (on the premises of Kamehameha School)
- 1960
- After the Kamehameha School moved to the top of the hill, the Bishop Museum expanded further. Developing into a magnificent scale museum centered on Pacific Hall and Hawaiian Hall
- 1992
- Hawaii State Legislature recognizes Hawaii Biological Survey activities at the Bishop Museum
- 2022
- Currently, it has more than 25 million collections of arts and crafts, literature, photographs, etc. related to Hawaiian and Polynesian culture, which are valuable worldwide, and through them, we continue to carry out activities to pass on the traditional culture of Hawaii to prosperity.
