Announcements
BISHOP MUSEUM AND CNHA ANNOUNCE NEW RETAIL PARTNERSHIP
Bishop Museum and the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement announce a new partnership to enhance the museum's retail space and elevate its connection to Hawaiʻi's vibrant creative economy.
# BISHOP MUSEUM AND CNHA ANNOUNCE NEW RETAIL PARTNERSHIP
Collaboration will spotlight Hawaiʻi-made products and deepen cultural storytelling
*HONOLULU, Hawaiʻi* – Bishop Museum and the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement (CNHA) are proud to announce a new partnership to enhance the museum's retail space and elevate its connection to Hawaiʻi's vibrant creative economy. Beginning July 1, CNHA will assume operations of the museum's current gift shop, Shop Pacifica, with plans to refresh the space under a new name and showcase Hawaiʻi-made and designed products.
"This partnership is a natural extension of our mission to celebrate and perpetuate the rich history and culture of Hawaiʻi and the Pacific," said Dee Jay Mailer, President and CEO of Bishop Museum. "CNHA's deep community ties and commitment to Native Hawaiian businesses make them an ideal partner in strengthening how the museum reflects and uplifts our community."
CNHA brings extensive retail experience through initiatives like The Mākeke (formerly Pop-up Mākeke) and its recent acquisition of Nā Mea Hawaiʻi, a long-standing cultural retail institution. Under CNHA's leadership, the museum store will continue to serve visitors in carrying fond memories home while always being a space for cultural exchange and community engagement. Planned experiences include product showcases, creative workshops, and events that reflect the museum's role as a gathering place for learning and connection.
"At its best, retail is a platform for cultural connection and storytelling," said Kūhiō Lewis, CNHA of CEO. "We're honored to reimagine this space to highlight our local makers and create authentic experiences for both residents and visitors."
Bishop Museum and CNHA are working together to ensure a smooth handover by July 1.
About CNHA:
The Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement is a member-based nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the cultural, economic, and community development of Native Hawaiians. Through programs focused on business incubation, housing, policy, tourism, and workforce development, CNHA uplifts Hawaiians across the pae ʻāina and beyond. Visit www.HawaiianCouncil.org for more information.
About Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, the State of Hawaiʻi Museum of Natural and Cultural History
Bishop Museum’s mission is to inspire our community and visitors through the exploration, celebration, and perpetuation of the extraordinary history, culture, and environment of Hawaiʻi and the Pacific. The Museum was founded in 1889 by Charles Reed Bishop in memory of his wife Bernice Pauahi Bishop, a royal descendant of King Kamehameha I. Today, the Museum thrives as an educational center for the community and is widely regarded as the world’s premier institution for Hawaiian and Pacific content.
Bishop Museum’s vast collections of more than 25 million objects and specimens represent nine disciplines and include more than 22 million biological specimens, over 2 million cultural objects, 115,000 historical publications, and 1 million photographs, films, works of art, audio recordings, and manuscripts. These collections tell the stories of the cultures and biodiversity of Hawaiʻi and the Pacific as well as the proud legacy of scholarly research spanning 130 years.
Bishop Museum proudly serves more than 200,000 visitors each year, including 20,000 children on school visits. Guests are encouraged to pre-plan their trip to #HawaiisMuseum with its free digital guide, available through Bloomberg Connects.
To learn more about the Museum’s research, collections, exhibits, and programs, visit BishopMuseum.org, follow @BishopMuseum on Facebook and Instagram, visit Bishop Museum’s YouTube channel, or call (808) 847-3511. Bishop Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Bishop Museum is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer, and welcomes applicants from the military, veterans, and those with disabilities. Learn about careers at Bishop Museum at BishopMuseum.org/Careers and on its LinkedIn page.
Bishop Museum Press is Hawaiʻi’s oldest book publisher and one of the first scholarly publishers in the Western Hemisphere, and has published over 1,200 titles and distributed over 1 million books in 72 countries worldwide. Bishop Museum hosts a restaurant and gift shop on campus, Tūtū’s Place by Highway Inn and Shop Pacifica by Nā Mea Hawaiʻi.