Top 50 Museums in Hawaii - Complete List, Map & Guide

Written and Fact-checked by | Updated On: July 10, 2026

Hawaii's museums fall into two categories: Native Hawaiian cultural institutions and WWII memorial sites, and the two rarely overlap. The Bishop Museum in Honolulu, built around Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop's royal artifact collection, remains the state's largest and most comprehensive; a short drive away, the USS Arizona Memorial and USS Missouri mark opposite ends of America's involvement in WWII at the same harbor.

Hawaii Museums Map

The Hawaii Museums Map highlights the locations of museums across the state, including art museums, history museums, science centers, and cultural heritage institutions. Use this interactive map to explore popular museums in Honolulu, Hilo, and other destinations throughout Hawaii.

Below is an expanded list of Hawaii's museums, spread across Oahu, the Big Island, Maui, and Kauai — note that hours vary a lot by island and season.

List of Museums in Hawaii

Museum Name City Category Admission Best For Official Website
Bishop MuseumHonoluluNatural History & CulturePaidHawaiian history & Polynesian culturehttps://www.bishopmuseum.org
Honolulu Museum of ArtHonoluluArtPaidAsian, Hawaiian & global arthttps://honolulumuseum.org
Hawaiʻi State Art MuseumHonoluluArtFreeContemporary Hawaiian arthttps://sfca.hawaii.gov
ʻIolani PalaceHonoluluHistoric PalacePaidHawaiian monarchy historyhttps://www.iolanipalace.org
Mission Houses MuseumHonoluluHistoryPaidMissionary-era Hawaiihttps://missionhouses.org
Pearl Harbor Aviation MuseumHonoluluAviationPaidHistoric military aircrafthttps://www.pearlharboraviationmuseum.org
Battleship Missouri MemorialHonoluluMilitaryPaidWorld War II battleshiphttps://ussmissouri.org
USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & ParkHonoluluMilitaryPaidWorld War II submarinehttps://bowfin.org
USS Arizona Memorial Visitor CenterHonoluluMilitary HistoryFreePearl Harbor historyhttps://www.nps.gov/perl
US Army Museum of HawaiiHonoluluMilitaryFreeU.S. Army history in the Pacifichttps://www.hiarmymuseumsoc.org
Queen Emma Summer PalaceHonoluluHistoric HousePaidRoyal Hawaiian residencehttps://daughtersofhawaii.org
Shangri La Museum of Islamic ArtHonoluluArtPaidIslamic art collectionhttps://honolulumuseum.org
Lyon ArboretumHonoluluBotanicalFreeTropical plant collectionshttps://manoa.hawaii.edu/lyonarboretum
Hawaiian Mission Academy Archives & MuseumHonoluluHistoryFreeMissionary heritagehttps://www.hmacademy.org
Lyman MuseumHiloHistoryPaidNatural & cultural historyhttps://lymanmuseum.org
Pacific Tsunami MuseumHiloSciencePaidTsunami educationhttps://tsunami.org
ʻImiloa Astronomy CenterHiloSciencePaidAstronomy & Hawaiian navigationhttps://imiloahawaii.org
Mokupāpapa Discovery CenterHiloMarine ScienceFreeNorthwestern Hawaiian Islandshttps://www.papahanaumokuakea.gov
Volcano Art Center GalleryVolcanoArtFreeLocal Hawaiian artistshttps://volcanoartcenter.org
Laupahoehoe Train MuseumLaupahoehoeRailroadPaidRailroad historyhttps://thelaupahoehoetrainmuseum.com
Kona Historical SocietyCaptain CookHistoryPaidKona Coffee Living History Farmhttps://konahistorical.org
Huliheʻe PalaceKailua-KonaHistoric PalacePaidHawaiian royal residencehttps://daughtersofhawaii.org
H.N. Greenwell Store MuseumCaptain CookHistoryPaidHistoric general storehttps://konahistorical.org
Parker Ranch Historic HomesWaimeaHistoric HousePaidHawaiian ranching historyhttps://parkerranch.com
Paniolo Heritage CenterWaimeaHistoryPaidHawaiian cowboy heritagehttps://panioloheritagecenter.org
Kauaʻi MuseumLihueHistoryPaidKauai history & culturehttps://www.kauaimuseum.org
Grove Farm MuseumLihueHistoric HousePaidSugar plantation historyhttps://grovefarm.org
Kauaʻi Plantation Railway MuseumLihueRailroadPaidPlantation rail historyhttps://www.kilohanakauai.com
Waioli Mission House MuseumHanaleiHistoric HousePaidMissionary historyhttps://waioli.org
Alexander & Baldwin Sugar MuseumPuʻuneneHistoryPaidSugar plantation heritagehttps://www.sugarmuseum.com
Bailey House MuseumWailukuHistoryPaidMaui historyhttps://www.mauimuseum.org
Hale Hōʻikeʻike at the Bailey HouseWailukuHistoryPaidHawaiian artifactshttps://www.mauimuseum.org
Wo Hing MuseumLahainaHistoryPaidChinese immigrant historyhttps://www.lahainarestoration.org
Baldwin Home MuseumLahainaHistoric HousePaidMissionary historyhttps://www.lahainarestoration.org
Lahaina Heritage MuseumLahainaHistoryPaidHistoric Lahainahttps://www.lahainarestoration.org
Whalers Village MuseumKāʻanapaliMaritimeFreeWhaling historyhttps://www.whalersvillage.com
Schaefer International GalleryKahuluiArtFreeRotating art exhibitionshttps://www.mauiarts.org
Halawa Cultural CenterKaunakakaiNative Hawaiian CulturePaidMolokaʻi heritagehttps://www.halawavalleymolokai.com
Molokai Museum & Cultural CenterKaunakakaiHistoryFreeMolokaʻi historyhttps://molokaimuseum.org
Lanai Culture & Heritage CenterLanai CityHistoryFreeLānaʻi history & culturehttps://www.lanaimuseum.org
Dole Plantation Pineapple Garden ExhibitWahiawāAgriculturePaidHawaiian pineapple historyhttps://www.doleplantation.com
Hawaii Plantation VillageWaipahuHistoryPaidPlantation-era lifehttps://hawaiiplantationvillage.org
Honolulu Fire MuseumHonoluluFirefightingFreeHistoric firefighting equipmenthttps://www.honolulufiremuseum.com
King Kamehameha V Judiciary History CenterHonoluluHistoryFreeHawaiian legal historyhttps://www.jhchawaii.net
Royal Hawaiian Center Cultural MuseumHonoluluCultureFreeHawaiian traditionshttps://www.royalhawaiiancenter.com
Bishop Museum PlanetariumHonoluluAstronomyPaidPlanetarium showshttps://www.bishopmuseum.org
Noelani GalleryHonoluluArtFreeNative Hawaiian arthttps://noelanigallery.com
Honolulu Police Department MuseumHonoluluLaw EnforcementFreePolice historyhttps://www.honolulupd.org
Pacific Fleet Submarine MuseumHonoluluMilitaryPaidU.S. submarine historyhttps://bowfin.org
Maui Ocean Center Hawaiian Cultural ExhibitsMaʻalaeaMarine SciencePaidMarine life & Hawaiian culturehttps://www.mauioceancenter.com

Hawaii Museums Facts

Fact Details
StateHawaii
Approximate Number of MuseumsMore than 100 museums, historic sites, and cultural institutions
Largest Art MuseumHonolulu Museum of Art, Honolulu
Most Visited MuseumBishop Museum, Honolulu
Largest Science MuseumʻImiloa Astronomy Center, Hilo
Most Popular Aviation MuseumPearl Harbor Aviation Museum, Honolulu
Largest Natural History MuseumBishop Museum, Honolulu
Official State History MuseumBishop Museum, Honolulu
Most Popular Art MuseumHonolulu Museum of Art, Honolulu
Popular Free MuseumsHawaiʻi State Art Museum, USS Arizona Memorial Visitor Center, US Army Museum of Hawaii, Mokupāpapa Discovery Center
Largest Museum DistrictPearl Harbor Historic Sites District, Honolulu
Major Museum CitiesHonolulu, Hilo, Wailuku, Lihue, Kailua-Kona
Popular Museum CategoriesHawaiian History, Art, Military, Aviation, Maritime, Science, Natural History, Native Hawaiian Culture
Historic Landmark MuseumʻIolani Palace, Honolulu
Best Time to VisitHawaii museums can be visited year-round, with April through October offering excellent weather for combining museum visits with outdoor attractions.
Top Family MuseumsBishop Museum, Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, ʻImiloa Astronomy Center, Honolulu Museum of Art
Presidential MuseumsHawaii does not have a U.S. Presidential Library or Presidential Museum.
Specialty MuseumsBattleship Missouri Memorial, USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park, Pacific Tsunami Museum, Alexander & Baldwin Sugar Museum
Annual Museum VisitorsHawaii museums and historic attractions welcome millions of visitors annually.
Top Museum RegionsOʻahu, Hawaiʻi Island, Maui, Kauaʻi, Molokaʻi & Lānaʻi
US Museums by State

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