Bishop Museum September 2025 Exhibitions, Public Programs, and Events

Bishop Museum, the State of Hawaiʻi Museum of Natural and Cultural History, shares its September 2025 exhibitions, public programs, and events. A full and continually updated listing can be found on the Museum's website, BishopMuseum.org. For more information on any of the items listed, please contact Lance Aquino with Stryker Weiner & Yokota Public Relations, Inc.

September sees the Grand Opening of our newest exhibition, Explore EXCORE: The Art of Underwater Science, at Museum After Hours, where guests can meet the Museum researchers pioneering the latest advancements in marine imaging.

• Ongoing | ExhibitionExplore EXCORE: The Art of Underwater ScienceJ. M. Long GalleryIncluded with Museum admission. Free for Bishop Museum Members.Dive into the vivid world of EXCORE's revolutionary underwater cinema with Explore EXCORE: The Art of Underwater Science, and be surrounded by amazing coral reef imagery captured in breathtaking clarity. Each frame is more than a stunning visual; it's a permanent scientific record of 21st-century reef biodiversity, preserved today for generations to come.EXCORE, Bishop Museum's Center for the Exploration of Coral Reef Ecosystems, has led the way in deploying — and even inventing — the world's most advanced technologies to survey, study, and celebrate the astonishing biodiversity of coral reefs.
• 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 | ExhibitKe Kai Pōwehiwehi: The Twilight ZoneRichard 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 | 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 | InstallationA Woman of the World: Bernice Pauahi Bishop in Europe, 1875-1876Hawaiian HallIncluded with Museum admission. Free for Bishop Museum Members.As a young child, Princess Bernice Pauahi Pākī was an ardent student of geography, art history, and world history. Between May 1875 and September 1876, she and her husband, Charles Reed Bishop, took an extended trip through America, the United Kingdom, and Europe. A Woman of the World examines some of Pauahi's travel experiences by examining the manuscript material written and material culture collected by Pauahi between the autumn and winter months of 1875 and 1876.
• 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 Fall Planetarium Shows:
  • "T. REX"
  • "The Hawaiian Sky Tonight"
  • "Wayfinders: Waves, Winds, and Stars"
  • "Ocean Paradise"
  • "Ngā Tohunga Whakatere: The Navigators"
• September 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, Sept. 2, 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.
• Friday, Sept. 12, 2025, 5-9 p.m. | Public ProgramMuseum After Hours | Explore EXCORE Grand OpeningGreat Lawn$10 pre-sale, $15 at the door for General Admission. Free for Bishop Museum Members.Come pau hana with us at Museum After Hours! This monthly evening event welcomes kamaʻāina and visitors to explore Hawaiʻi's unique and unparalleled cultural and natural history, take part in activities for the whole family, and enjoy the Honolulu night sky from our Great Lawn.At September's event, join us for the public Grand Opening of our newest exhibition, Explore EXCORE: The Art of Underwater Science, featuring a deep-dive panel discussion on the exhibition's themes, opportunities to engage with Bishop Museum researchers pioneering the latest advancements in marine imaging and hands-on activities that bring undersea exploration to life!
• Saturday, Sept. 13, 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."
• Wednesday and Thursday, Sept. 17-18, 2025, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.Free Admission DaysBishop MuseumFree admission.Due to scheduled maintenance, historic Hawaiian Hall will be closed on Wednesday and Thursday, Sept. 17-18, 2025. On these days, Bishop Museum invites guests to enjoy free admission and access to the Museum's other Signature Galleries, including Nā Ulu o Kaiwiʻula Native Hawaiian Garden, Richard T. Mamiya Science Adventure Center, Kamālaʻulahiwa ʻOhana Learning Space, and Campus Murals. Expedition Dinosaur: Into the Deep in the Castle Memorial Building will also be open with free admission. The J. Watumull Planetarium will hold its usual programming with nominal admission of $3.
• Wednesday, Sept. 17, 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, Sept. 17, 2025, 5:30-7 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, Sept. 19, 2025, 6:15-7:15 p.m. and 7:30-8:30 p.m. | EventThe Stars Tonight: Trivia DomeJ. 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! For September's program, enter our Trivia Dome and test yourself with quiz questions spanning topics such as astronomy, natural sciences, and pop culture.Stargazing on the Great Lawn with the Hawaiian Astronomical Society after each show, weather permitting.
• Tuesday, Sept. 23, 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.
• Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, 5-8 p.m. | ProgramShell Song: A Book Reading & Shell Activities w/ Sharon Fujimoto-JohnsonHawaiian Hall Atrium$15 General Admission. Free for Bishop Museum Members.Based on the author's true family story, "Shell Song" is a picture book about Japanese-American incarceration in Hawaiʻi during World War II, and a moving tribute to the importance of finding and collecting pieces of hope, big or small, even in the darkest of times.Join us for a live book reading with author Sharon Fujimoto-Johnson, see rare shells in Bishop Museum's Malacology collection, participate in a shell stamping activity, and hang out with malacologists and Hawaiʻi Malacological Society members to learn how to identify rare shells — guests are encouraged to bring their own shells to ID with experts!
• Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, 10 a.m. - noon | ProgramNānā i ke Kumu Series: Noʻeau ka hana a ka ua; akamai ka ʻimina o ka noʻonoʻoAtherton Hālau$15 for Kamaʻāina and Military; includes Museum Admission. This program is included in the general Museum Admission for all others. Free for Bishop Museum Members.In partnership with the Mary Kawena Pukui Cultural Preservation Society, we invite you to celebrate the life, work, and enduring legacy of Mary Kawena Pukui, a foundational pillar of Hawaiian knowledge and cultural revitalization. Throughout 2025, our Nānā i ke Kumu Series will offer monthly programs that highlight Mrs. Pukui's unparalleled contributions to ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, moʻolelo, hula, mele, and the perpetuation of ʻike kupuna.Featured speakers for September's program include Nanea Armstrong-Wassel, Noenoe K. Silva, and Nathan Nāpōkā with ʻIolani Kamauoha.
• Sunday, Sept. 28, 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 and 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.

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

• Oct. 25, 2025 | Kāhuli Festival 2025: Ke Kani Nei Ka Pūpū
• Nov. 21-23, 2025 | The Hawaiian ʻUkulele Experience
• Nov. 28, 2025 | Lā Kūʻokoʻa, Celebrating the Independence Day of the Hawaiian Kingdom

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, Kamālaʻulahiwa ʻOhana Learning Space, and Campus Murals. For more information, please visit BishopMuseum.org.