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The Bishop Museum on the island of Oahu has three main buildings featuring a Planetarium, Hawaiian Hall, and Bishop Hall which features "special showing" exhibits that change about every 6 months.

  Even though the Bishop Museum has possession of the largest collection of Hawaiian artifacts in the world we were surprised and a little disappointed that so little of it is on display for the public. Hawaiian Hall is three stories tall however only one floor primarily features Hawaiian and Hawaii related artifacts. The museum has possession of many pre-contact artifacts but the majority of items only date back in the 1800’s. The types of Hawaiian artifacts on display include clothing, calabashes, idols, tools, jewelry, paintings, and photos. We thought some of the most impressive displays were the feather capes and headwear that were made for the ali’i (high chiefs). There were several interesting personal effects on display from the members of the Hawaiian Monarchy and influential dignitaries of the 1800’s.

The remaining two floors of the Hawaiian Hall feature artifacts from other Polynesian cultures and from the many cultures that now inhabit Hawaii. We were disappointed that there was not more focus on Hawaiian artifacts and adding new displays. We had visited the museum 5 years ago and it appears no new exhibits have been introduced in the Hawaiian Hall and several of the displays have since been closed for repairs.

The planetarium at the museum offers visitors a great journey of the current night sky. You are able to learn more about what you are looking at when you star gaze as well as you learn about how the ancient Polynesians utilized the stars to navigate the sea. The first settlers to Hawaii are believed to sail from Marquesian Islands to Hawaii by navigating utilizing the stars. There are several planetarium showings each day.

  The Special Showing Building is currently featuring "Sue the Dinosaur" which is a replica of the largest and most complete Tyrannosaurus Rex ever found. Sue is estimated at 65 Million years old. She is 45 feet long and is estimated to weigh 7 tons when she was alive.  The original skeleton is on display in Chicago and the Bishop Museum in Hawaii and the Boston Science Museum in Massachusetts were the first lucky museums to display the two replicas while on their worldwide tour.

Life size replica of Sue the Dinosaur

The woman Sue Hendrickson who discovered Sue the Dinosaur

Along with Sue the dinosaur we were fortunate to also have Sue the human who is the namesake and woman who found Sue the dinosaur at the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation near Faith, South Dakota in August 1990. We were able to get Sue’s first hand account on how she discovered the T Rex, how much work has gone into cleaning and preparing the bones over the last 10 years, and what new discoveries about T Rex have been made since Sue discovered the bones. Along with the replica of Sue the dinosaur there were a few interactive displays to learn more about the life of dinosaurs. Sue had been on display for several months and will be moving on to her next museum on October 15 so keep a look out for her visiting your local museum!

The skull of "Sue the Dinosaur" measures 5.2 feet, has 58 teeth measuring 7 1/2 - 12 inches, and has a brain cavity the size of a quart of milk.

Also currently showing in the special showing building is "Mission to Mars". This exhibit has interactive displays and activities for adults and kids to learn more about the differences between life on Earth and Mars. You can even build you own motorized land explorer and run it on a mock Mars. There are also informative films lectures about Mars held through out the day.

First you build a land explorer...

Then you can see how well it runs on a mock Mars!

Depending on your expectations the Bishop Museum may or may not be worth your time exploring. If you are looking to learn more about the people of Hawaii and Polynesia as well as their cultures and traditions we recommend the Polynesia Cultural Center over the Bishop Museum. The Bishop Museum is a good for those wanting to get a closer look at artifacts utilized by Hawaiians and Polynesians and is a good rainy day activity. The Bishop Museum is open daily from 9am-5pm and admission is $15 per adult, $12 per child 3-12, children under 3 are free. For more information or directions call 808 847-3511.

PLEASE NOTE: Prices for island activities featured within our site are NOT guaranteed. Since we are not affiliated with any of the activity providers we are not notified if services or prices change. You will need to contact the activity provider directly for a current price quote and for availability information. 

You can enjoy treats and treasures from Hawaii anytime with our online Island Gift Shop! Also, if you are having a Hawaiian theme wedding or luau in our Island Gift Shop we offer decorations like this adorable Hawaiian Kissing Couple Cake Top/S&P Shakers as well as fresh flower leis and accessories, silk flower leis and accessories, fresh pineapples and papaya, madacamia nut treats, hula supplies, Hawaiian music and more bring authentic touches of Hawaii to your celebration! Quick Links to items in our Island Gift Shop for your Hawaii theme celebration: * Hawaiian Kissing Couple Cake Top/S&P Shakers * Fresh Leis and Accessories * Silk Leis and Accessories * Island Treats * Hawaiian Music * Hula Supplies Our Island Gift Shop is what funds our four web sites filled with free Hawaii information, free Hawaiian theme wedding and luau resources, free Hawaii vacation resources, and a free Hawaii Photo Gallery. When you purchase from our Island Gift Shop you are supporting our web sites!