Top 10 Best Museums in Honolulu, Hawaii

Honolulu, Hawaii’s capital on the southern shore of Oahu Island, is often called "The Big Pineapple." Famous for its aloha spirit, lush surroundings, and tropical climate, it’s also the only American city with a royal palace, Iolani Palace.

Honolulu’s museums portray everything from local history and culture to world science and art, offering various attractions for all ages. Whether you're interested in military history, natural wonders, or family-friendly exhibits, the city has something for everyone.

Ready to explore? Here are the 10 best museums in Honolulu that will surely teleport you back in time.

Located just 5 minutes from the city center, the iconic Honolulu Museum of Art serves as an art museum featuring a large assortment of Asian as well as Pan-Pacific artwork and is among the best Honolulu museums. More than fifty thousand pieces of art from China, Europe, Japan, and the Americas are housed in the museum and it features a wide variety of artwork, including American textiles, Italian Renaissance paintings, European decorative arts, as well as ukiyo-e prints. Furthermore, the Hawaiian art collection, which records the historical importance of art on the islands, serves as among the museum's most valuable holdings.

The Bishop Museum stands out among Hawaii's biggest historical and scientific museums. Officially known as the Hawaii State Museum of Natural and Cultural History, it has one of the globe's greatest exhibits of Polynesian cultural items. Furthermore, In addition to cultural and historical exhibitions, the museum features a library along with books, periodicals, journals, and other literature about Hawaii and the Pacific, as well as Hawaiian royalty's archives. Other notable attractions are the J. Linsley Gressitt Centre for Research in Entomology, the Jhamandas Watumull Planetarium as well as the Hawai'i Sports Hall of Fame.

The Shangri La Museum of Islamic Art, Culture, and Design is a historic residence and museum that houses artifacts representing the Islamic world. The museum is located in the old house of Doris Duke of the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art and showcases art, decor, furniture, textiles, and architectural elements, as well as ceramics from Iran, Turkey, India, Spain, Egypt, Morocco, Syria, and India. Furthermore, the museum also features painted ceilings from the country of Morocco, woodwork accents coming from Syria, fabrics from Spain as well as India plus the Playhouse, which is a scaled recreation of Iran's Chehel Sotoun. You will also come across gardens infused with Islamic culture along with native Hawaiian vegetation.

Artifacts from the Japanese assault on Pearl Harbor in World War II are on display at the well-known Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum. The museum's hangars contain dioramas, reconstructed aircraft, artifacts, as well as some of the attack's damage. Throughout the year, it organizes several educational activities for the community, including instructional tours and bus excursions to additional Pearl Harbor Historic Sites, and projects like the ancient Ford Island control tower's restoration are made possible by these occasions.

A university museum, the renowned John Young Museum of Art features art from Mesoamerica, Africa, Southeast Asia, Asia, and the Pacific Islands. It organizes seminars for artists, a research library, as well as galleries devoted to local artwork. Furthermore, Asian and Pacific collections of paintings, sculptures, stoneware, and ceramics are on display in the museum and highlights include a Sue stoneware flask, Ban Chiang pottery, Mashiko stoneware, and Neolithic pottery jars dating from 3000–2000 B.C. Additionally, there is also a sizable collection of artwork from the Pacific Islands, mostly from Taiwan, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and New Zealand.

The Iolani Palace once served as a royal home for the monarchs of Hawaii across its dynasties and was occupied under both the Kamehameha as well as the Kalākaua dynasties, but the house is now recognized as a historic site. Interestingly, the palace underwent renovation to reconstruct the architecture, furniture, and décor of the Hawaiian monarchy after it was named a National Historic Landmark in the year 1962. Furthermore, both authentic palace objects and meticulously accurate replicas are used in the reconstructions.

The US Army Museum of Hawaii is housed in an old coastal artillery battery located at Fort DeRussy Military Reservation. The vast collection of military artifacts housed at the historical museum includes AH-1 Cobra helicopters, small guns, and armor from World War II. The museum's displays trace the history of Hawaii from pre-imperial times to the First World War and the Korean War. Furthermore, an exhibition honoring the winners of the Distinguished Service Cross as well as the Medal of Honour is also on display at the museum.

A historic monument, Queen Emma Summer Palace was formerly the family getaway of Queen Emma of Hawaii but today it houses a museum showcasing family heirlooms and period furnishings such as a royal coat of arms, a grand piano, plus a baby's cradle. It is also home to some unusual exhibits, such as a stereopticon which was a present from Napoleon II, a silver baptism dish that Queen Victoria sent, and a necklace made of tiger claws. Furthermore, the mansion features various historic pictures, notably of Queen Emma, Kamehameha III, as well as Prince Albert Edward Kauikeaouli.

A kid-friendly museum with interactive displays for kids of all ages is the Hawaii Children's Discovery Centre. The museum's stated purpose aims to "inspire children to 'dream big dreams' and the immersive displays at the museum have been thoughtfully chosen to cater to a variety of age groups and learning objectives. Among the highlights are "Your Town," which educates about community via role-playing as mechanics, firemen, and other emergency personnel, and "Tot Spot," a space created for young kids who like sensory plays.

King Kamehameha V Judiciary History Centre is a museum devoted to the legal history of Hawaii and significant court cases. You will get to view exhibits about famous cases at this free museum, which is only a minute's walk from the city center. The displays focus on Hawaii's legal system from pre-imperial to modern times and self-guided as well as guided tours are available to visitors, with the local guide providing background information on the displays.

Looking for a place to stay? Choose from luxury hotels or charming boutique hotels near downtown.