Bishop Museum Invites Local ʻOhana and Visitors to Enjoy the Holidays at #HawaiisMuseum

Bishop Museum, the State of Hawaiʻi Museum of Natural and Cultural History, presents its 2025 Holiday Guide, inviting local ʻohana and visitors to enjoy the holidays at #HawaiisMuseum.

Public Programs and Special Events

In partnership with Hui Aloha ʻĀina o Honolulu, Bishop Museum invites our community to celebrate Lā Kūʻokoʻa, a historic holiday of the Hawaiian Kingdom, and the continuing kūʻokoʻa (independence) of the lāhui (nation) Hawaiʻi. Join us for conversation, mele (song), and meaʻai (food) provided by Hale Kealoha on Friday, Nov. 28 from noon – 5 p.m.; FREE admission for kamaʻāina includes access to all Museum galleries.

The Kaiwiʻula Night Market will be holding its monthly event at Bishop Museum on Wednesday, Dec. 17. Support local and get your holiday shopping done under a starry night sky, and don't forget to take part in the Grow Aloha Native Hawaiian Plant Adoption!

The December Night Market will also be a "Dino Night" collab with Bishop Museum, featuring access to the Expedition Dinosaur: Into the Deep exhibit, encounters with the Museum's resident dino, Moʻonui, keiki activities, and more — all for a discounted, pre-sale admission of $10.00!

Trivia lovers! What better way to challenge yourself — and others — than under the star-filled theater of our J. Watumull Planetarium? The Stars Tonight: Trivia Dome is offered in two quiz-style shows at 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 12, with the latter show's game at an increased difficulty. Stargazing will be available on the Great Lawn with volunteers from the Hawaiian Astronomical Society, weather permitting. Register early to reserve your seat!

For those looking for some musical cheer, Kanikapila ma Kaiwiʻula will be held on Saturday, Dec. 13 at the Museum's Bowman Hālau Waʻa. Bring your own ʻukulele or borrow one, and join in to learn some new techniques, share moʻolelo, or just enjoy the music with members of the ʻUkulele Guild of Hawaiʻi.

Hele mai! Sip, stroll, and shop holiday goodies from more than 15 local favorites at Nā Mea Hawaiʻi's Ship & Shop Market on Friday, Dec. 5 from 5-9 p.m. on Bishop Museum grounds. Free entry! More info @nameahawaii.

For a taste of the holidays, stop in at Tūtū's Place and try one of their two seasonal drinks! Get cozy with a Peppermint Hot Cocoa or an ʻUlu Spice Latte, made with locally crafted Pono Potions syrup. Check @tutusplace or online for Tūtū's Weekly Special, a rotating menu of local-style favorites.

Daily Programs

Bishop Museum's Daily Programs include English language tours of the Hawaiian Hall Complex Monday through Saturday at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m., as well as Geology Shows on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday at noon and 2:30 p.m. in our Hot Spot Theater, located on the lower level of the volcano in the Richard T. Mamiya Science Adventure Center. Times and availability may vary.

Japanese language tours of the Hawaiian Hall Complex are available Monday through Saturday at 10:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Tours may also be available on weekday afternoons at 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m., pending docent availability.

Leisurely explore Museum grounds with our Asia Pacific Educators and learn about the plants of Hawaiʻi through their Hawaiian Garden Tour; or, take part in their Lā Kūleʻa: ʻAuana program which includes a hula ʻauana (contemporary hula) experience, private guided tour of Hawaiian Hall, and a lei-making workshop. Both Culture Programs are coordinated and presented in Japanese, and pre-registration is required.

Amplify your exploration of the Expedition Dinosaur: Into the Deep exhibit with a face-to-face encounter with the Museum's resident juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex, Moʻonui! These thrilling encounters occur Friday and Saturday at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. in front of the main entrance of Castle Memorial Building. Show times and availability may vary.

The Museum's J. Watumull Planetarium offers the following daytime shows in December; please visit the Planetarium webpage for showtimes and other details:

• "The Hawaiian Sky Tonight"
• "Wayfinders: Waves, Winds, and Stars"
• "T. REX"
• "Ocean Paradise"
• "Experience the Aurora"
• "Ngā Tohunga Whakatere: The Navigators"

Signature Galleries and Current Exhibitions

Bishop Museum's Signature Galleries include historic Hawaiian Hall, Pacific Hall, Picture Gallery, Abigail Kinoiki Kekaulike Kāhili Room, Nā Ulu o Kaiwiʻula Native Hawaiian Garden, Richard T. Mamiya Science Adventure Center, Kamālaʻulahiwa ʻOhana Learning Space, and Campus Murals. The Signature Galleries are open during regular business hours.

The Museum's current exhibitions include Explore EXCORE: The Art of Underwater Science in the J. M. Long Gallery (first floor, Hawaiian Hall Complex); Wayfinders: He Waʻa He Moku, He Moku He Waʻa, We Are One and the Same in the Jabulka Pavilion Rotunda (J. Watumull Planetarium lobby); and Expedition Dinosaur: Into the Deep in the Castle Memorial Building.

A Woman of the World: Bernice Pauahi Bishop in Europe, 1875-1876 is featured in the third floor Treasure Case of Hawaiian Hall. On Friday, Dec. 19, a new installation will open, Mary Kawena Pukui: Knowledge Is Life, celebrating and honoring the work and enduring legacy of Mary Kawena Pukui and commemorating the Nānā i ke Kumu Series at its final monthly program of 2025.

The Richard T. Mamiya Science Adventure Center includes two exhibits: Lele o Nā Manu: The Splendor and Loss of Hawaiʻi's Birds and Ke Kai Pōwehiwehi: The Twilight Zone.

Ways to Support

Bishop Museum Press is Hawaiʻi's oldest book publisher and one of the first scholarly publishers in the Western Hemisphere. Get ready to celebrate the season with their Cyber Monday Sale on Monday, Dec. 1! Most items in the online store will feature a discount, ranging from 10-75% off!

Bishop Museum's Annual Fund supports our Museum collections, staff, research, education, and programming when and where they are determined to be of the greatest need and impact. Our fall campaign, currently underway, runs through Dec. 31.

A gift of a Bishop Museum Membership provides 12 months of access to the Museum's unparalleled collections and research through its exhibitions and programming. Members also receive free parking, and free or discounted registration to Planetarium evening shows and other public programming events, including the monthly Museum After Hours series.

Start the New Year with a new career at #HawaiisMuseum! Join the Bishop Museum ʻOhana and experience firsthand the rewarding work we do protecting, preserving, and perpetuating the culture and natural environment of Hawaiʻi and the Pacific. Learn about the Museum's employment, volunteer, and internship opportunities via our Careers page.

Note that to provide our Bishop Museum ʻOhana of staff, volunteers, and interns the opportunity to enjoy the holidays, Bishop Museum is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.

More information can be found on Bishop Museum's website, BishopMuseum.org.

The Bishop Museum ʻOhana wishes our community and visitors a safe and happy holiday season, and expresses our gratitude for your continued support. Mahalo nui loa.