Bishop Museum July 2025 Exhibitions, Public Programs, and Events

Bishop Museum, the State of Hawaiʻi Museum of Natural and Cultural History, shares its July 2025 exhibitions, public programs, and events. A full and continually updated listing can be found on the Museum's website, BishopMuseum.org.

July sees the return of Bishop Museum's beloved summer concert Mele After Hours to the Great Lawn, celebrating the richness of Hawaiʻi's musical heritage with live performances under the Honolulu sky. Also, this summer, enjoy special evening shows in the J. Watumull Planetarium, including The Stars Tonight, Sounds of the Ocean, and our new Sunset Screening series.

• Ongoing | ExhibitExpedition Dinosaur: Into the DeepCastle Memorial BuildingIncluded with Museum admission. Free for Bishop Museum Members Patron level and above; discounted fee of $3 for all other Membership levels and for guests of Members.Dinosaurs have returned to Kaiwiʻula! For the first time on Oʻahu, guests will be able to experience, up close and personal, oceanic and aquatic reptiles from the Jurassic period — along with favorites like the T-Rex and Stegosaurus. Designed by Stage 9 Exhibits, Expedition Dinosaur: Into the Deep features lifelike animatronic dinosaurs with realistic movement and sound.
• Ongoing | ExhibitCoral Reef EcosystemsRichard T. Mamiya Science Adventure CenterThis exhibit in Bishop Museum's Richard T. Mamiya Science Adventure Center showcases the rich biodiversity in our islands' coral reefs, presented as two distinct sections: shallow sunlit reef systems and deeper mesophotic coral reefs.On the ground level of the Science Adventure Center, the exhibit features the shallow sunlit reef systems that most of us are familiar with, highlighting some of the native corals that make up our reefs in Hawaiʻi.The lower, second level of the exhibit highlights the deeper and less familiar mesophotic coral reefs, often referred to as the "twilight zone" of the ocean, where light barely penetrates. Deep sea fish and other mysterious creatures are represented here, giving guests a close-up look into the darker environment being explored by Bishop Museum scientists.
• Ongoing | ExhibitWayfinders: He Waʻa He Moku, He Moku He Waʻa, We Are One and the SameJabulka Pavilion Rotunda (J. Watumull Planetarium lobby)Wayfinders: He Waʻa He Moku, He Moku He Waʻa, We Are One and the Same celebrates the resurgence of wayfinding across Hawaiʻi and the wider Moananuiākea. This exhibit showcases the growing family of voyaging canoes and crew members, reflecting on environmental and cultural stewardship for future generations. Meet inspirational leaders in the Hall of Teachers interactive by Arizona State University, and practice using kūkuluokalani, the Hawaiian star compass, and nā lālani hōkū, the four Hawaiian star lines, to navigate.
• Ongoing | ExhibitionKū a Lanakila! Expressions of Sovereignty in Early Territorial Hawaiʻi, 1900-1920J. M. Long GalleryIncluded with Museum admission. Free for Bishop Museum Members.Kū a Lanakila! Expressions of Sovereignty in Early Territorial Hawaiʻi, 1900-1920 delves into the ways Kānaka ʻŌiwi (Native Hawaiian people) asserted their presence and sovereignty during Hawaiʻi's early territorial period through cultural and political expressions. Featuring a stunning array of artifacts, including ʻahu ʻula (capes), lei hulu (feather lei), banners, and political ephemera, the exhibit highlights how Native Hawaiians engaged in public ceremony, competitive sports, and political activism to maintain their identity and agency in a time of profound change.
• Ongoing | ExhibitLele o Nā Manu: The Splendor and Loss of Hawaiʻi's BirdsScience Adventure CenterIncluded with Museum admission. Free for Bishop Museum Members.Lele o Nā Manu: The Splendor and Loss of Hawaiʻi's Birds features 47 exquisite carvings of endemic manu nahele by master craftsman, Haruo Uchiyama. The complete set of historically known Hawaiian honeycreepers are displayed atop an original mural painted by local artist, Patrick Ching. The exhibit also includes a mural by Dr. Julian Hume depicting prehistoric Kīpahulu Valley, Maui; fossils of extinct Hawaiian bird species; and an interactive game.The opening of Lele o Nā Manu coincided with Ka Makahiki o nā Manu Nahele, the Year of the Forest Birds, a campaign to celebrate and raise awareness around Hawaiʻi's native forest birds.
• Ongoing | InstallationFaith and Philanthropy: Queen Emma Kaleleonālani in EnglandHawaiian HallIncluded with Museum admission. Free for Bishop Museum Members.Between 1865-1866, Queen Emma Kaleleonālani departed Hawaiʻi for a year-long journey to England, her first and only international voyage. Her journey had a specific mission: fundraising for the construction of St. Andrew's Cathedral, the seat of the Anglican Church in the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi. Faith and Philanthropy: Queen Emma Kaleleonālani in England highlights research identifying items associated with Queen Emma's travel and fundraising strategies, utilizing objects from multiple Bishop Museum collections to demonstrate not only the richness of Emma's journey, but also the social, religious, and political spaces she navigated as a Hawaiian royal.
• Ongoing | InstallationsCampus MuralsThroughout the Museum campus.Included with Museum admission. Free for Bishop Museum Members.Bishop Museum's outdoor murals provide an immersive art experience that bridges traditional culture, creative expression, and indigenous perspectives. The initial round of murals was completed in 2021 in conjunction with the special exhibit POW! WOW! The First Decade: From Hawaiʻi to the World, and was expanded in May 2023 during the Hawaiʻi Walls Mural Festival in Kalihi. The additional murals were inspired by the Kalihi community, local histories, and Bishop Museum's cultural and scientific collections and resources.
• Thursdays-TuesdaysPlanetarium ShowsJ. Watumull Planetarium$3 with General Admission. Free for Bishop Museum Members.Join us in the J. Watumull Planetarium at Bishop Museum to connect with the environment and peoples of the Pacific region, the expanse of our universe, and the stories we pass on from generation to generation.2025 Summer Planetarium Shows:
  • "T. REX"
  • "Dinosaur Prophecy"
  • "The Hawaiian Sky Tonight"
  • "Wayfinders: Waves, Winds, and Stars"
  • "3-2-1 Liftoff!"
  • "Ngā Tohunga Whakatere: The Navigators"
  • "Ocean Paradise"
• July 2025 Sky Map | Online Resource (also attached to this release)Free downloads for personal use.You and your ʻohana can try your hand at backyard astronomy! The monthly Sky Maps from our J. Watumull Planetarium show the sky above Hawaiʻi from about 8-10 p.m. HST. Hold the Sky Map above your head to align all four directions and discover which stars and constellations are visible this month.
• Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. | ProgramFace to Face EncounterCastle Memorial BuildingIncluded with Museum Admission. Free for Bishop Museum Members.Meet Moʻonui, Kaiwiʻula's resident prehistoric superstar, during the run of our newest exhibit, Expedition Dinosaur: Into the Deep. Explore the exhibit to experience, up close and personal, oceanic and aquatic reptiles from the Jurassic period, and come say hello to Moʻonui!
• Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, 10:10 a.m. - 12 p.m. | ProgramHawaiian Garden TourNā Ulu o Kaiwiʻula Native Hawaiian Garden and throughout the Museum campusThis program is coordinated and executed in the Japanese language. Limited capacity. Pre-registration 3 days prior is required. $56 for General Admission. Museum Members receive a 10% discount.Leisurely explore the grounds of Bishop Museum with our Asia Pacific Educators, and learn about the plants of Hawaiʻi! These tours are open to all Japanese-language speakers and include a hands-on kukui lei making workshop.
• Tuesday, July 8, 2025, 10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. | ProgramLā Kūleʻa: ʻAuanaHawaiian Hall and Pākī 2This program is coordinated and executed in the Japanese language. Limited capacity. Pre-registration two days prior is required. $100 for General Admission. Museum Members receive a 10% discount.Lā Kūleʻa: ʻAuana provides guests with a multi-faceted experience at the Museum. Open to all Japanese-language speakers, this culture program includes a hula ʻauana (contemporary hula) experience, a private guided tour of Hawaiian Hall with an Asia Pacific Educator, as well as a hands-on ti leaf lei making workshop.
• Wednesday, July 9, 2025, 5-8 p.m.Sunset Screenings: 3-2-1 Liftoff! and Edge of DarknessJ. Watumull Planetarium$10 General Admission, $5 Bishop Museum Members. Free for youth 3 and under, who are expected to share a seat with an adult/guardian.Travel to space and across the ocean in the cool comfort of the Watumull Planetarium this summer! These early-evening shows take you on a quick trip to explore and celebrate life on Earth. On July 9, join some of the final screenings of 3-2-1 Liftoff!, where animated rodent and robot heroes through experiments discover how difficult it is to leave planet Earth. Or push beyond the atmosphere in Edge of Darkness and explore the mysteries of our solar system.Ticket price includes a popcorn snack, access to our Wayfinders: He Waʻa He Moku, He Moku He Waʻa exhibit, activities, and a seat for one of the evening's 3-2-1 Liftoff! or Edge of Darkness screenings.
• Friday, July 11, 2025, 5-9 p.m. | Public ProgramMele After HoursGreat Lawn$20 pre-sale, $25 at the door for General Admission. Free for children 13 and under. $15 for Bishop Museum Members.Experience the magic of Hawaiian music under the stars at Bishop Museum's Mele After Hours on our Great Lawn. This special evening celebrates the richness of Hawaiʻi's musical heritage with a stellar lineup featuring Grammy and Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award winners Amy Hānaialiʻi Gilliom and Kalani Peʻa, the smooth harmonies of Nā Hoa, the dynamic sounds of ʻUheʻuhene, and the graceful hula of Merrie Monarch award winning Hālau Nā Mamo o Puʻuanahulu. Beloved local radio personality Mele Apana returns as host, guiding the evening's festivities with her signature warmth and aloha.Bring your ʻohana and enjoy live performances beneath the Honolulu sky, surrounded by the historic beauty of Bishop Museum. Food and drink will be available for purchase from local vendors, and guests are encouraged to explore the Museum's galleries during the event.
• Saturday, July 12, 2025, 10-11 a.m. | Public ProgramKanikapila ma KaiwiʻulaNā Ulu o Kaiwiʻula Native Hawaiian GardenIncluded with Museum admission. Free for Bishop Museum Members.E hoʻokani pila kākou! Join members of the ʻUkulele Guild of Hawaiʻi in our Nā Ulu o Kaiwiʻula Native Hawaiian Garden. Bring your ʻukulele or borrow one. Learn new techniques, share moʻolelo, or just enjoy the music as ʻUkulele Guild of Hawaiʻi leads guests through selections from "He Mele Aloha: A Hawaiian Songbook."
• Saturday, July 12, 2025, 12-2 p.m. | Public ProgramHe ola i ka leo kāheaGulab & Indru Watumull Atrium | Hawaiian Hall ComplexReduced $15 admission for Kamaʻāina and Military, includes Museum admission. This program is included with Museum admission rates for all others. Free for Bishop Museum Members.He ola i ka leo kāhea is a special panel featuring master mea oli and distinguished scholars Dr. Kalena Silva, Keliʻi Ruth, and Marques Hanalei Marzan, Bishop Museum Cultural Advisor and the Wayne Pitluck and Judith Pyle Curator for Cultural Resilience. Panelists will offer insights into the expression of mele through Hawaiian chanting practices, reflecting the lasting impact of Mrs. Pukui's work.This program is part of the Nānā i ke Kumu Series, presented in partnership with the Mary Kawena Pukui Cultural Preservation Society. The Series invites you to celebrate the life, work, and enduring legacy of Mary Kawena Pukui, a foundational pillar of Hawaiian knowledge and cultural revitalization.
• Wednesday, July 16, 2025, 5-8 p.m.Sunset Screenings: Ocean ParadiseJ. Watumull Planetarium$10 General Admission, $5 Bishop Museum Members. Free for youth 3 and under, who are expected to share a seat with an adult/guardian.Travel to space and across the ocean in the cool comfort of the Watumull Planetarium this summer! These early-evening shows take you on a quick trip to explore and celebrate life on Earth. On July 16, view Ocean Paradise, a trip through three marine national monuments to visit the unique atolls of Rose, Palmyra, and Midway and their delicate ecosystems. An updated recut and return of Hidden Pacific.Ticket price includes a popcorn snack, access to our Wayfinders: He Waʻa He Moku, He Moku He Waʻa exhibit, activities, and a seat for one of the evening's Ocean Paradise screenings.
• Wednesday, July 16, 2025, 4:30-8 p.m. | EventKaiwiʻula Night MarketVisitor Parking 2Free admission.Join us every third Wednesday for the Kaiwiʻula Night Market! It's a new monthly opportunity for our shared community to gather at Bishop Museum. Come enjoy good eats and amazing crafts from our rotating list of local vendors.The Kaiwiʻula Night Market also acts as the Oʻahu pickup site for Grow Aloha. Every month in 2025, reserve a plant online and drop by the Kaiwiʻula Night Market to adopt a native plant for free.
• Wednesday, July 16, 2025, 5-8 p.m. | Public ProgramGrow Aloha: Plant PickupVisitor Parking 2Free with online reservation.Grow Aloha is a hui of plant adoption partners working together to restore Hawaiian plants and our relationships with them in urban areas. Bishop Museum is a proud partner and plant adoption site on Oʻahu. Every month in 2025, reserve a plant online and drop by the Grow Aloha tent at the Kaiwiʻula Night Market to adopt a native plant for free.The Kaiwiʻula Night Market is held at Bishop Museum every third Wednesday of the month.
• Friday, July 18, 2025, 7-8 p.m. | EventThe Stars TonightJ. Watumull PlanetariumCapacity is limited, and registration is required. $10 General Adult, $7 General Youth. Children 3 and under are free but will be expected to share a seat with an adult or guardian. 50% discount for Bishop Museum Members.Come study the stars, travel across the Earth and into our solar system, and share stories with us in our J. Watumull Planetarium! Stargazing on the Great Lawn with the Hawaiian Astronomical Society after the show, weather permitting.
• Tuesday, July 22, 2025, 10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. | ProgramLā Kūleʻa: ʻAuanaHawaiian Hall and Pākī 2This program is coordinated and executed in the Japanese language. Limited capacity. Pre-registration two days prior is required. $100 for General Admission. Museum Members receive a 10% discount.Lā Kūleʻa: ʻAuana provides guests with a multi-faceted experience at the Museum. Open to all Japanese-language speakers, this culture program includes a hula ʻauana (contemporary hula) experience, a private guided tour of Hawaiian Hall with an Asia Pacific Educator, as well as a hands-on ti leaf lei making workshop.
• Saturday, July 26, 2025, 10 a.m. | ProgramTaka Iki Presentation & Cultural ExchangeGallery LawnsIncluded with Museum admission. Free for Bishop Museum Members.Join us for this celebration of Marquesan culture. Taka Iki represents the bond that unites the six Marquesas Islands — Nuku Hiva, Ua Huka, Ua Pou, Hiva Oa, Tahuata and Fatu Hiva — around their culture, as expressed in their songs, traditional dances, crafts, tattoos and more. The performing group will be primarily comprised of young students from the Marquesas Islands with a deep passion for their rich culture.
• Sunday, July 27, 2025, 5:30-6:30 p.m. and 7-8 p.m. | EventSounds of the OceanJ. Watumull Planetarium$20 General Admission; $15 Students, Seniors, Military, and Youth under 12 years old.Prepare to embark on an extraordinary journey that will immerse you in the wonders of the deep blue. Sounds of the Ocean, an award-winning immersive experience, invites you and your ʻohana to a captivating fusion of art, music and mindfulness that will transport you to the heart of the ocean's embrace. Get ready for an adventure like no other, where the beauty of the seas unfolds before your eyes.Created by ocean artivist, director & composer Joshua Sam Miller and co-director/Expressive Arts Facilitator Elise Lein, this experience immerses you in an enchanting underwater world. Every ticket helps support the Papahānaumokuākea Marine Debris Project, removing fishing nets and other waste from the largest protected marine area in the United States.
• Thursday, July 31, 2025, time TBD | Public ProgramWelo Ka Hae Hawaiʻi: Celebrating Lā Hoʻihoʻi EaHawaiian Hall and Gallery LawnsIncluded with Museum admission. Free for Bishop Museum Members.Bishop Museum celebrates Lā Hoʻihoʻi Ea, Sovereignty Restoration Day, with an evening event featuring Ka Hae Hawaiʻi, the raising of the Hawaiian Flag, as well as mele and special presentations in honor of the Hawaiian national holiday.Established on July 31, 1843 by Kauikeaouli, King Kamehameha III, Lā Hoʻihoʻi Ea marks the return of political power to the Hawaiian Kingdom after the British unlawfully seized control of Hawaiʻi in 1843. In 2022, the State of Hawaiʻi designated July 31 as a special day of observance.

Looking past July, Bishop Museum is also excited to preview the following upcoming exhibits and public programs in 2025:

• August 2025 | E Ulu A Paʻa Online Auction
• Aug. 24, 2025 | New Exhibition – Explore EXCORE
• Oct. 25, 2025 | Kāhuli Festival 2025: Ke Kani Nei Ka Pūpū

Bishop Museum also holds Daily Programs for all guests, as well as in-person J. Watumull Planetarium shows. Its Signature Galleries include Hawaiian Hall, Pacific Hall, Picture Gallery, Abigail Kinoiki Kekaulike Kāhili Room, Nā Ulu o Kaiwiʻula Native Hawaiian Garden, Richard T. Mamiya Science Adventure Center, and Campus Murals. For more information, please visit BishopMuseum.org.