Immerse yourself in the history of the Kona districts and their rich cultural history within Hawaiʻi.  Click on the Programs tab to see all the places they run.

Constructed by Englishman Henry Nicholas Greenwell in 1870, the store once served the immigrant community with supplies and goods needed in the remote Kona Districts.  From his headquarters here at the Greenwell Store, H.N. Greenwell amassed thousands of acres of ranch land where he and his sons helped to develop the Kona ranching industry of the late 19th century. His wife Elizabeth Caroline Greenwell ran the store in her husband's absence and was joined as storekeeper by her daughter-in-law Maud Greenwell during the 1930s.

Stroll through this award-winning, historic farm that tells the story of Kona's coffee pioneers during the early 20th century. A self-guided experience, you're free to walk among the coffee trees, meet a "Kona Nightingale", or watch how farmers used the kuriba and hoshidana to mill and dry their world-famous coffee. Visit the original 1920's farmhouse where you may find the homemaker starting the fire to cook rice or making musubi for the farmer's lunch.

​

​Living history gives visitors an opportunity to experience history brought to life by costumed interpreters who demonstrate traditional crafts, agricultural activities, and the everyday tasks of people from the past. Talk story along the way with the farm's living history interpreters and discover the story behind Kona's gourmet crop.

Hulihe‘e Palace is located in historic Kailua-Kona on Ali‘i Drive. The Palace was originally built out of lava rock during the Kingdom of Hawai‘i on land known as Kalāke‘e, a former residence of Kamehameha the Great. The Palace itself was first home to High Chief John Adams Kuakini, brother of Ka‘ahumanu the favorite wife of Kamehameha, and later home to more members of Hawaiian royalty than any other residence in Hawai‘i. Hulihe‘e Palace consists of six large graciously appointed rooms, two large inviting oceanfront lanai and lovely grounds.

In 1832, missionaries David and Sarah Lyman traveled by ship from New England to Hawai`i after being married for all of 24 days before leaving on the six-month voyage.  In the late 1830s they built the Lyman House as a family home.  The Hilo Boarding School, a school for young Hawaiian men founded by the Lyman’s, was built nearby.  Over the years, the house became a place to raise their seven children and host guests, including many of the Hawaiian ali`i (royalty) and other notables such as Mark Twain and Isabella Bird.  The Lyman’s never returned to their native New England, but lived out their long lives in Hilo.

​

The Lyman Mission house is the oldest standing wood structure on the Island of Hawai`i and one of the oldest in the State.  It features furniture, tools, household items, and artifacts used by the Lyman’s and other early missionary families.  The house is on the State and National Registers of Historic Places and is an important artifact of the Lyman Museum.

​

Your docent-guided tour of the Mission House will convey a sense of what it meant to live 5000 miles and a 6-month journey away from your original home and family, in a house without electricity or running water.  You will learn what it was like to settle in a location with a decidedly different language and culture from your own, while being driven by a sense of duty to bring Christianity and Western-style education to the Hawaiian people

In 2003, the Mokupāpapa Discovery Center (MDC) was established to interpret the natural science, culture and history of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and surrounding marine environment. Since most people will never have the opportunity to visit these remote islands, our facility on the bayfront in Hilo, Hawaiʻi serves to "bring the place to the people" and spur greater public awareness of the region and ocean conservation issues.

​

Housed in Hilo’s historic, century old Koehnen Building, Mokupāpapa features a 3,500 gallon saltwater aquarium, interactive educational exhibits, life-size models of wildlife found in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, artwork inspired by those islands and Hawaiian culture, and many interpretive panels in both Hawaiian and English. The beauty of the historic Koehnen building has been preserved and refreshed to show off its majesty, including a koa wood staircase, Hawaiian hardwood floors, and high ceilings.

​

In our new facility, the nature and culture of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands come alive as never before, transporting visitors to this remote ocean wilderness where predators rule the reefs, the skies teem with swooping, screeching seabirds, and the Native Hawaiian chanting of the Kumulipo (a Hawaiian creation chant) sets the mood for exploration and learning.

Step back in time to when ‘sugar was King’ and experience the real Hawaii. Hawaii’s Plantation Village is the perfect location for keiki, family and all ages to explore a living history museum and botanical garden. A visit to us opens a door to a time of true hospitality and cultural sharing that sprung from Hawaii’s plantation life.

​

​The Village tells the story of life on Hawaii's sugar plantations (circa 1850-1950) and is composed of a museum and restored buildings and replicas of plantation structures, including houses of various ethnic groups and community buildings such as the plantation store, infirmary, bathhouse and manager's office. We share the story of Hawaii's many cultures: including Hawaiian, Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Korean, Okinawan, Portuguese and Puerto Rican.

Our exhibits celebrate the history of Honoka'a town which is one of the most intact towns in Hawaii from the sugar plantation era.

​

Sections include the various ethnic groups that came to Hawaii to work on the plantations, paniolo (cowboys) and ranching history in our area and day to day life in plantation camps.

'Imiloa brings together members of the Hawaiian and astronomy communities to share a common vision for the future, bringing information about the cultural and natural history of Maunakea to students, teachers, our local residents, and visitors from. around the world. 'Imiloa links to early Polynesian navigation history and knowledge of the night skies, and today's renaissance of Hawaiian culture and wayfinding with parallel growth of astronomy and scientific developments on Hawaii Island.

The purpose of the Laupahoehoe Train Museum is to preserve, promote and protect the historic, cultural, educational, social, civic and economic interests of the North Hilo and Hamakua districts, while highlighting the history of the railroads on the island of Hawaii.

​

We are a small, community-run museum located on the beautiful Hamakua Heritage Coast of the Big Island of Hawaii. Our goal is to honor the colorful history of our island's railroads. Much of our information is about the Hilo Railroad, which began in 1899 and lasted until 1946, when railroad tracks and facilities were irreparably damaged by a devastating tsunami. The museum is located in the old station agent's house which is furnished as it would have been in the early 1900's. Our photo collection keeps growing thanks to the generous donations from individuals and families having railroad connections.

​

Visitors are welcomed with the spirit of aloha, and will find fascinating photographs, railroad artifacts and memorabilia from days gone by. Our small gift shop boasting unique items hand-crafted by local residents.

​

​Many of the museum's volunteers have spent their lives in the community and are delighted to "talk story" with visitors. The museum grounds are planted with tropical fruit trees and ornamentals making a lovely place to stroll, picnic or relax.

Discover, create, play, and learn about island science. The Hawai'i Keiki Museum connects children to Hawai'i Island through hands-on exploration of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM) that is all around us using open ended play experiences.

Hawaii Science and Technology Museum provides STEM based exhibits for the public as a part of our STEM Literacy Program in partnership with the Hawaii State Library System and local schools. HSTM brings exhibits directly to the students at the schools and libraries to get them interested in science and reading.

The Pacific Tsunami Museum (PTM) provides residents and visitors to the State of Hawai’i with much-needed tsunami education programs. PTM features a series of in-house permanent exhibits that interpret tsunami phenomena, the Pacific Tsunami Warning System, the history of tsunamis in the Pacific Basin, and public safety measures for tsunami disasters.

​

​One of the factors that makes PTM unique is that it is a living monument to those who lost their lives in past tsunamis. By combining scientific information with actual testimony taken from oral histories of tsunami survivors, PTM keeps history alive in its exhibits and public programs. Oral history testimonies reinforce existing scientific information and provide a perspective that will make the tsunami experience “real” for the Museum visitor. The Museum provides a guidebook to the exhibits that is also available in six foreign languages.