Our Guide: Bishop Museum

Our five tips for navigating and saving money at one of Hawai‘i's most well-known museums.

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Where: Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum

Who: A mom and dad; their 6-year-old girl and twin boys, 4.

When: A weekday morning. Allow for at least three hours to explore the museum’s campus.

Bishop Museum’s interactive displays and constant rotation of new programs are like that grade school teacher who is super passionate about science, history and culture. Every lesson leaves strong impressions on young minds.

After all, where else can Hawaiʻi’s keiki slide down a smoking volcano, ride on giant snails, walk on a giant map of the Pacific Islands, watch cartoons in a planetarium and have a slumber party next to dinosaurs? Even the grassy fields surrounding the buildings are perfect for kids to run and get their wiggles out. Time for recess! 

Bishop Museum has a rich, family-centric history. In 1889, Hawaiʻi’ business leader Charles Reed Bishop founded the museum to honor his late wife, Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, the last descendant of the royal Kamehameha family. The museum today sits on 16 acres of Kalihi land and oversees more than 25 million historical, natural and cultural artifacts–including precious, royal family heirlooms.

Our Five Tips

1. Plan your visit around daily presentations. Consider your kids’ nap, meal and potty schedules, then decide which of these shows are worth watching:

• “In My Backyard” features singing cartoon characters and a tour of the night sky. Show times are at 10 a.m. on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Arrive 10 minutes prior so kids can play with the interactive displays in the planetarium lobby.

• A must-see program at noon, daily, is the “The Hot Spot Rock,” where 2,000-degree lava is melted in the basement of the Science Adventure Center. Kids will learn how volcanoes form. If you miss the kid-tailored demo at noon, a similar program titled “Meet Me At The Hot Spot” happens at 2:30 p.m., daily. 

2. Get the all-access day pass. If you plan to visit all galleries and watch the shows, you’ll save money by purchasing a day pass with unlimited access to everything. If you opt out of the day pass and buy general-admission tickets instead, you’ll pay an additional $4.95 per person for the dinosaur exhibit and $2.95 per person per planetarium show. Consider an annual membership, starting at $120, if your family plans to visit the museum more than once a year.

3. Try the specialty programs for families. The museum announces new exhibits and surprises throughout the year. To keep tabs, regularly visit bishopmuseum.org or the Facebook page for updates. Want to have a slumber party next to the exhibits? Visit Bishop Museum Sleepovers for details. Meals are provided—all you need are your toothbrushes, pajamas and sleeping bags.

Another kid-friendly way to learn about the museum is to use the audio tour component, accessible on your smartphone in English, Hawaiian, Japanese and Chinese. The “No Na Keiki” feature teaches kids about traditional fishhooks, seashells, whales and Duke Kahanamoku’s surfboard hanging in the Hawaiian Hall. Each audio clip is a little over a minute, perfect for short attention spans. 

4. Rate your kids’ comfort levels. OK, let’s be blunt: Some areas of Bishop Museum can be scary for little keiki. If your kids easily are frightened by loud, rumbling noises and dark, cave-like structures, do not take them inside the volcano located in the Science Adventure Center. The volcano erupts overhead at regular intervals, and the space is dark. Instead, have your kids observe the volcano’s smoke and lava from the second floor, which can be accessed via stairs or elevator. The see-through elevator itself is a thrill ride for kids. While upstairs, the kids can play dress-up with insect costumes and learn about predators and prey. (Etiquette tip: Keiki can learn to clean up and drape their costumes over hangers once playtime is finished). 

5. Check Out Shopping and Dining Options. At the main entrance, Shop Pacifica is a fun gift shop selling books and music, plush toys, science experiments, packaged snacks and locally made souvenirs. Take a few minutes to browse, or steer clear if you're on a tight budget. We purchased a Hawaiian word book for keiki and a dinosaur necklace for $23. Adjacent to the shop is a café operated by Highway Inn, selling hearty plate lunches, Spam musubis, sandwiches, baked treats and other foods. If you’d rather bring snacks from home to save money, an ideal place to eat is on the covered patio or on the lawn between the Science Adventure Center and Hawaiian Hall. 

Bishop Museum

  • 1525 Bernice St., Honolulu, 96817
  • Open daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas days.
  • All Access Day Pass: $19.95 per adult with kamaʻāina or military I.D.; $17.95 per kamaʻāaina or military senior ages 65 and up; $14.95 per kamaʻāaina or military-dependent youth ages 4-17; free for keiki ages 4 and younger.
  • General Admission: $14.95 per adult with kamaʻāina or military I.D.; $12.95 per kamaʻāaina or military senior ages 65 and up; $10.95 per kamaʻāaina or military-dependent youth ages 4-17; free for keiki ages 4 and younger.
  • (808) 847-3511
  • bishopmuseum.org