We were looking for something to do to get out of the heat. I didn't have high expectations, but this museum was really cool. I'm not even a museum person. It is definitely worth it on a rainy day or if you're sick of the sun lol read more

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Although small, the Kauai Museum is densely packed with exhibits and history. At the time we visited, the entrance fee was good for 2 visits as long as the second one was within a week of the first. It covers the archaeology, anthropology, culture, as well as the history of the island. When I later saw the TV Series 'Chief of War', I really appreciated the series much more than had I not visited the museum first especially the story of Kamehameha in the show who unified the Hawaiian Islands and figures prominently in the museum. You can also tour the museum using augmented reality on your smartphone or tablet, but unfortunately, it wasn't working at the time we visited. read more

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We went here to attend a weaving class with Eugene and it was so fun! I'm guessing this is a more locally known thing because we were the only tourists, but it was still fun! Eugene was so knowledgeable and patient. He really just wanted to share his skills with everyone. At the end we took a picture with our pieces and they even gave us a cream puff from a local bakery. We didn't realize how much information this museum has so we will definitely be signing up for a guided tour when we return! All The staff at the museum were so friendly, helpful, and exciting to see our finished products. Great experience! read more

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If you have some time while in Lihue, be sure to spend an hour or two at the Kauai Museum. You are greeted by a lovely aunty who helps with your entrance fee (only $10 if you are a Hawaii resident and less if you are a Kauai resident). Be sure to peruse their gift shop because they have great items for sale (got a koa brim baseball cap!) they have an extensive and very beautiful Niihau shell lei collection, and a room full of gigantic umeke...please be sure to stop by and check it out if you love history, and want to learn about the special history of Kauai. read more

Kauai Museum - Collection of Niihau shell lei in the Kauai Museum - Art Museums Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

Beautiful museum! Great place to learn about the history of Kauai. The people there were very nice and there is quite a bit to see. Nice gift shop too and you are supporting a worthy cause. After all these years coming to Kauai, glad we found it. read more

The Kauai museum was an amazing wonderful hidden gem of a museum. It featured so many treasures from the past - look at the full length feather cape in my pics below. The story of the Kauai monarchy reads like a soap opera. There is also an incredible gift shop with handmade bags , clothes and jewelry. Many books on Hawaiiama as well. There's 2 buildings and take your time because there are so many displays. The outside of the building is very old but you will be surprised with the exhibits. There is a little bit of Kauai environmental details, Kauai surfing notable displays and war info. The museum is situated among the government buildings in Lihue on the island of Kauai. There are many metered parking stalls if u r driving- I took Lyft. Hope you get to see this museum read more

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Visiting a museum on a Hawaiian vacation?!?! Well, what else are you going to do on rainy day? It looks small from the outside, but the museum is packed with lots of stuff, lots of information, and lots to read! It's all very interesting, but like most history, its written by the winners not the losers. Most of the "history" was presented in a very white-washed 1960s-1970s style perspective. -They say King Kamehameha "united" the Hawaiian Islands. That's another way of saying he was a warmonger and murderer whom killed anyone whom opposed his supreme role. Thousands of native Hawaiians dead. -The Sugar Plantations seem to be glorified. How much deforestation, loss of wildlife habitat, land evictions, and native vegetation destruction occurred for sugar? -Glorification of Plantation workers..."Mom, Dad, when I grow up I want to work on a sugar plantation under the hot Hawaiian sun, low wages, and little prospect for growth!" - No One Ever -The "great" Captain Cook allegedly "discovered" Hawaii. Just FYI: Humans were already there centuries before these white colonists showed up, and Captain Cook was another murderer, kidnapper, and looter. Glad the natives eventually got sick of this evil imperialist and killed him off, on Valentine's day in fact! -The Hawaiians were basically forced to give up their land's for America's Imperialists. All the historical try to make it sound as if it was a team effort. Interesting museum overall, just needs to brought up to at least 1990s standards, maybe even 2000s or 2010s. read more

Good little museum to find out the history of Kauai. There's a lot of information at this museum, however, a little pricey, I think. If you enjoy history, it's a great spot to hit. read more

The Kauai Museum is a must if you are interested in the history of "The Separate Kingdom" (Kauai was never conquered by Kamehameha.) The tour walks you through the historical periods from polynesian settling to discovery by the west to whaling to plantations and annexation. Please take the guided tour if you want the very best experience. We love to take our visiting guests here (especially with children) for an immersive look into the history of Kauai. read more

Came in on Wednesday afternoon for Uncle Onio's weaving class and made a fan out of Hala. What a great way to spend time on Kauai- $45 includes all the materials, great instruction and a product that is easy to pack and will be very useful. Also includes admission to the museum. read more

Kauai Museum - The fan I made - Art Museums Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

Growing up on Kauai we would take field trips to the Kaua'i Museum to learn about the history of the Island as well as the culture of its natives. Quite a bit to see and there are some activities you can do here as well, like learning how to weave or make leis. The workers here are full of aloha and take pride in what they teach. A must stop on your tour around the island. read more

Kauai Museum - Art Museums Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

Great exhibits easy to see in a short amount of time. We learned so much history about the island, the Hawaiian royalty and history of Hawaiian hula and music. read more

Great little museum. Lots of Kauai and Hawaiian history. Check hours and exhibits before you go .

You have to undergo a 14 day mandatory quarantine in your hotel before you can see this museum. The museum is open during the pandemic on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday 930am-230pm. There is a kama'aina rate of $12, but only for residents of Kauai. You residents of Oahu, Maui, and the big Island have to pay the same as us tourists from the mainland: $15 $15 per person is not cheap, considering the museum was converted in 1960 from a small town library founded in 1927. We paid the $12 senior rate for 65+ folks , which is good for the entire week, convenient only if you are staying nearby in Lihue. You know you are getting old when they don't ask for id! Fascinating museum if you are a history buff like myself. Lots of paintings of invasions and clashes between Hawaiian warriors, and the leaders in very fancy and colorful red and yellow headdresses. Then came the British and the Americans with their sailing ships. One painting depicts hundreds of natives tugging on 3 ropes trying to upright a sailing warship keeling over. Paintings of row boats hunting for whales using hand held harpoons, with nearby whaling ships. Black and whites of plantation railroads, sugar plantations, Kauai cowboys, with a exhibits of the home front on Kauai during World War II -did you know that a Japanese pilot landed his disabled fighter on one of the Hawaiian islands during the Pearl Harbor Raid. Normally would not come here, as we stay in the Poipu region, a long ways away to brave the gridlock traffic of Lihue. Came here to kill some time before our December 20, 2018 3pm flight, as we were tossed out our condo at 10am! 745 reviews on this museum by older writers in Tripadvisor and 46 reviews by younger writers in Yelp, proving that only old farts like me write museum reviews! read more

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This was the only spot on the island where we were able to learn about native Hawaiian culture. The staff were all so sweet! The gift shop had a ton of cool books, kids toys, and art. I would definitely go back! read more

What a great find! Lots of history about Hawaii and other islands, our Docent was very knowledgeable and made it so interesting! Also a very nice gift shop read more

What a wonderful small museum full of treasures from Kauai. We happened on a Saturday morning performance by a dance school that was terrific. It's well worth your time and support read more

This is a delightful place, if you like old-fashioned museums full of cool stuff in glass-and-wood cases (I do). There are some absolutely beautiful traditional Hawaiian objects like hand-woven hats, enormous hand-carved wooden calabashes, and a couple of phenomenal feather capes. The organization can be a bit random. Go over to the second building, which is primarily about the plantation period, WWII and surfing, but also has paniolo items, and then suddenly there's an exhibit of what seems to be ancient, sacred lava carvings, right in the middle of the surfing area! It was not busy on a Saturday morning and the ladies selling tickets thanked me for coming three times. A lot of education and information at 15 bucks for an adult. Very nice things in the gift shop. read more

We went here on a weekday on a visit to Lihue. The reviews are great, but we thought it was just moderately interesting. Our guide was boring and unexciting. The entrance fee is $15 per adult and we did not think it was worth the money at all. There is a second building that is a bit more interesting than the first, has more contemporary information. That's not to say that the displays were poorly done, they were professional. It's just that I did not learn very much about Hawaiian history that would stick with me for more than a few minutes. Your ticket allows you to return for free within 7 days, but we will not return. read more

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Visiting Kauai? This should be your second stop, following Costco -- cuz, y'know, rations matter. A one hour visit to this delightful museum left me anxious to return and far, far more educated about the history of the island. This is a must-see before checking out Kamokila Hawaiian Village in Wailua, which only provides a physical layout of a typical Kauai village. To understand how these original inhabitants lived, and have an appreciation for, in particular, the hand-wrought materials, tools, gorgeous wooden bowls and boats, just to name a few -- start here. It's an old school museum, offering goods behind glass with long descriptions alongside, so plan to stay a while and do that old school reading thing. It's worth your time, promise. And there's so much to see! The exhibits, in two buildings, cover ancient and modern Kauai, including how the island fits in to the greater history of Hawaii. Movies, WWII, surfing, aristocracy, sugar plantations, Filipinos, even climate change is part of the discussion. Local experts hold presentations daily, so check the online schedule before you go. A little on the hefty end, admission-wise, your ticket is good for a full week, so you can return to soak up everything you missed during your first visit. We will. read more

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Awesome vibes in the heritage museum. I love the artwork showing smiling ali`i nui and the affection shown for Kaumuali`i in the the words written about him. read more

We had wonderful time to read the history of the island. The museum is not big but very nice. The gift shop has many great selections of gifts. We did missed the back part of the museum because the weird layout. There was no obvious sign to point the back part of the gallery. If you like history, this is a wonderful stop for your trip. read more

I had a very lovely experience here on my visit to the museum. First things first, entry wasn't that expensive and if you keep your receipt you can come back for a limited time, I think maybe a few days from purchase. If you don't have time to see everything in one day, this is handy! As for me I had all the time in the world so I made sure to pace myself through the exhibit. The museum itself may seem small but there's a lot to look at if you really take your time to look at each object. I think the most intriguing thing for me there was the excavation of the ship wreckage and all those pieces they found! It's always fascinating to me to see something from another time survive such that I'm able to lay my eyes on something someone was using a hundred years ago. If you need some help or want some info, the docents or front desk workers can tell you all about the museum and some of Hawaii's history. I really thank them for preserving these treasures and keeping their stories alive for all to discover. read more

Entrance fee is $10/person but there is a coupon where you can get a free Hawaiian mug and calendar with 2 full adult purchase. Plus, if you aren't able to see everything the 1st time around, the sweet ladies at the front will give u a pass to come back within a week. Now onto the actual museum. It's tiny but packed full of history. The video was informative but glitchy! The only annoying thing is that the bathroom is tiny (1 stall) so if u come here with a big group, it might be a bit of an issue. Overall, good stop if you have some extra time. read more

Kauai Museum - Used to boil sugar cane for sugar! - Art Museums Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

My mom use to tell me stories of when she lived in a small village in China.  They grew some of their own food and on occasion one of the chickens running around wound up being dinner. There are many stories at the Kauai Museum.  Some stories are told the traditional Hawaiian way.  Passed from one person to another.  We listened to a story told to us by a museum volunteer.  There was an old Hawaiian woman named Aunty Esther Makuaole who was also was a Master Weaver of "papale" hats that use to volunteer at the museum.  She would tell stories about traditional weavers making their creations.  Crafts such as weaving was passed from one generation to the next.  Unfortunately she did not have a family member to pass her knowledge on to.  A worker at the museum named Aunty Margaret Lovett became Aunty Esther Makuaole's haumana or student and over the years knowledge of weaving was passed on. Aunty Esther Makuaole died before I visited the museum. Aunty Margaret Lovett left the museum and devoted her life to weaving and promoting the art of weaving.  I'm sure Aunty Esther Makuaole would be proud as the former museum worker would later be one of the best weaver's on the island. Kauai Museum use to be called Albert Spencer Wilcox Building.  It was originally a library.  Constructed of concrete, and local black and brown lava rock it's a lovely looking building.  It is one of the few surviving Hart Wood designed buildings on the island. There are many stories told at the Kauai Museum.  I'm glad I learned a few of them.  This is an excellent place to learn about Kauai and see historical artifacts. read more

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What a hidden treasure and do go when there is a docent for the tour. Our guide was fantastic! I learned so much and was a deal for $15. The ticket was good for 7 days. But the rub was I was told as a local come back on Saturday for a free tour. Well, local is not Hawaii resident here, only Kauai and Niihau locals. Total BS and cost me driving back to the museum a second time and they are closed on Sunday and Monday was a holiday. So as much as I loved it I felt totally ripped off. read more

You might not think that visiting a mostly indoor museum would be on a Kauai vacation list. After all, isn't Hawaii all about the beach, nature, and relaxation? Not entirely, as the native Hawaiian culture is a rich one, and the Kauai Museum does an excellent joy providing a historical background and grounding to what some might describe as a tourist and commercial invasion to a still proud indigenous Hawaiian nation. The Kauai Museum itself is rich with Island history and is nicely spread over 2 buildings. The main building is particularly significant architecturally. There were lots of exhibits, charts, artifacts, works of art, even fully restored boats. All added up to an impressive experience. If you're looking for a unique Kauai keepsake, the gift shop here has many interesting and non-shlocky things. That includes a well curated selection of Niihau shell jewelry, which are priced like the treasures that they are. Admission is reasonable and is good for the entire day. That means you can leave and come back. Museum staff were very knowledgeable, expansive in their explanations, and very proud of what this museum represents. read more

Didn't go into the museum and just shopped in the gift store. Many local artists with their products. They have a nice selection of Niihau shell products. So beautiful. Aunty at the register was so nice! Great place to look for some local souvenirs. read more

Despite the 3 stars, I think that if you are in the area, you should visit the little museum. There is a fee, it is a little on the pricer side if you have a tribe (like me!); however, you may return the entire week without having to pay an entrance fee again. But, we didn't return and didn't think that it really warranted another return. I hate to say that but for my kids, the one time, 30 minutes or so in there reading everything and taking in the pictures was enough. There were tourist there that thoroughly enjoyed it and that made me smile :) They have very friendly staff who are there to talk story with you or answer any questions you may have. Enjoy. read more

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Very informative museum. Knowledgeable volunteers who come from generations who grew up in this area. Many interesting artifacts. Cost has gone up since past reviews; now $15/adult (accepts credit cards). Quite reasonable for what's included (besides the exhibits in two buildings)...a brief history by a volunteer, and an hour movie. read more

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Loved all the history and artifacts of this gem of a museum. You can feel the love and appreciation for all that is exhibited from all the staff. I'm so glad I got to learn more about the amazing place and peoples of this land. read more

My husband is a huge history buff, so whenever we travel, he will always seek out a local museum for us to visit. We've explored some pretty cool, largely undiscovered museums because of his obsession. We took a break from all the natural outdoor beauty of Kauai to check out this museum. We went on a day there was no tour, but we had no trouble navigating on our own, with the help of their volunteers. Even if they don't always know what they're talking about, I typically find volunteers in a small-time museum very charming. The Kauai Museum is a cultural treasure, connecting the visitor with the heart of Hawaiian people and their vast heritage. There were tons of exhibits, dioramas, artifacts, works of art, even a documentary to enhance your experience. The two adjacent buildings cover everything from ancient times, early plantation life, Captain Cook's arrival, the missionary era, to WWII memorabilia. Admission is $10, and it's money well spent. Your admission includes a return visit up within a week of your initial one, should you find yourself needing more time to explore all this museum has to offer. We definitely took advantage of this and came back later that same day. The gift shop has tons of great books, jewelry, as well as the requisite mugs, calendars, etc. Well worth a visit to learn and appreciate the rich history and indigenous people of Kauai. read more

Kauai Museum - Hilarious. And sadly, too many people still feel this way. - Art Museums Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

We had a rainy day during our stay in Kauai and so we decided to do an indoor activity. There aren't many options for indoor activities in Kauai, so we settled on going to the museum that day. Admission is $15 per person and it allows you re entry for up to 7 days. We spent a good two hours at the museum before the power went off (you can spend a good half a day here). Fortunately because of the re entry we did return on our last day as something to do before flying back to the mainland, as the museum is right by the airport. I learned so much about Kauai and Ni'hau and the history behind it. I enjoyed looking at the artifacts and the photos. If you're looking for a fun little thing to do and enjoy museums, you won't be sorry that you came here. The island offers so much beauty but reading about it really brought my experience to life. read more

This place is special and I hope they are around for a long time. We came here on one of our last days in Kauai and it did not disappoint! It's small but really, it has what you need. History, artifacts, dioramas, gift store and the most awesome friendly staff! If you need a break from the beaches or want to know what the island was like before all the tourists, come here! They have a great video you can watch and learn about the island and its history. But I really enjoyed looking at the artifacts, the rooms and the history of all those historical Hawaiian figures. I really enjoyed this museum and feel you need to visit it once if you're in Kauai. Lovely little museum. read more

A great museum that is far more extensive in both size and depth of information than I expected! This was a wonderful way to learn more about the island, its people and its history. Conveniently located relatively near the airport, restaurants and shops, this should be one of the first stops upon your arrival to help you appreciate this amazing island. read more

Excellent local museum. Really enriched my appreciation and understanding for the history of Kauai. Also great gift shop (my wife got me a shirt with a very complicated pattern!). read more

Its so small and 15 dollars per person not worth it for a family. It is very informative but the price not worth it. They should give locals a discount. It's like 800 square feet maybe a little bigger but not by much. read more

Aloha from Kaua'i! First, somewhat of a disclaimer - I do volunteer at the Kaua'i Museum as a docent and front desk staffer - so maybe I'm biased....but The Kaua'i Museum is a really lovely museum and if you have any interest at all in the history of Kaua'i - this is the place to go for it. There are 2 buildings - one is in the historic Lihu'e Library building (built in the 1920's) and the other is a 2-story building you reach thru a small courtyard between the 2 buildings. The historic wing of the museum houses a changing main gallery exhibition (currently Hawaiian Quilts and textiles) as well as featuring exhibits about various aspects of life on Kaua'i. There is also a Gift Shop that has one of the best selections of Lei Pupu 'O Ni'ihau aka Ni'ihau Shell Leis on island and also lately we have had a lei maker from the island of Ni'ihau actually onsite stringing these beautiful shells into amazing lei. The other building is more the history of Kaua'i - A to Z. There is a video presentation with an overview of Kaua'i that you can watch and then the exhibits take you from the Polynesians voyaging to the Hawaiian Islands, to Captain Cook's arrival, the Missionary Era and up thru the Plantation Era. There is even a model plantation camp home on the 2nd floor that you can go thru to get an idea of what life was like in the plantation era for workers. The admission is $10. for visitors ($8. for seniors 65+) and there are free docent tours given at 10:30am Monday thru Friday - two of my favorite docents are Uncle Roy Miyake and Uncle Lyn Saito - Japanese American gentlemen born and raised here during the WWII era - you learn so much from them - it is very special indeed! Two things to stress: the Kaua'i Museum is not just a "rainy day" activity and also is not a place to just make a quick stop at before going to the airport! Plan on giving at least an hour and a half to two hours minimum in order to really get the most from your visit! read more

This was our second visit to this museum. We learn so much each time. This year- with our grown children - we all took our time reading and learning about the Kauai history, geology, and culture. Each at our own pace and catered to individual interests. Couldn't leave without a couple of small souvenirs (cards and wooden bowls) from the gift shop. read more

Every once in a while in our travels, we come across hidden treasures. Kauai museum is one example. We went on a Friday at 1030am for the docent-led tour. My son and I ended up having a private tour since no one else showed. What an experience! Three hours and many questions later, we learned an incredible amount of local history. We saw amazing Hawaiian artifacts such as the koa bowls and baskets. There was a Japanese-American exhibit detailing how people in Kauai prepared to defend themselves (no US military was sent here) in case of Japanese invasion. Just reading meeting minutes from this era demonstrated how passionate and sincere people were to defend their island. After the tour, we walked back into the main hall. There was live Hawaiian music. The Hawaiian man who sang and played the guitar was very talented. The kid on the uke' looked like he would rather be anywhere else. After a couple of songs, we picked up our camera and cell phone from the volunteer who had placed them in safekeeping. (They do not allow these items in the museum). All in all a very good experience. Highly recommended to anyone who likes to stop and smell the roses. I believe there was a small AAA discount. General Public: $10.00 Seniors: $8.00 Students: (13-17) $3.00 Children: (6-12) $1.00 Under 5: Free read more