10/14/2024 Pacific Tsunami Museum 130 Kamehameha Ave Hilo, HI 96720 I went there on Columbus Day, so it was open (closed Mondays)! Street parking is available on Kalakaua Street and Kamehameha Avenue. If you are a Hilo resident or a Baby Boomer from Hilo, I highly recommend a visit. There are rooms for the history of Hilo Tsunamis and the 1960 Tsunami which I experienced. The other displays were interesting, educational and informative. The 1975 local Tsunami display was especially relevant to me because one of the fatalities was my brother's doctor. The other rooms feature displays for other Pacific Tsunamis and Tsunami science. The staff was knowledgeable, helpful and friendly I won't repeat until we have another future Tsunami for display. read more

See all

This is only open on the weekends! It is well worth the visit. There is so much history with tsunamis in Hawaii. read more

See all

This was on our way touring downtown. This tsunami museum with the history of what happened here when the big one hit in April 1 1946 read more

See all

Lots of great information. Wonderful exhibit. I learned a lot of my kids enjoyed so much. Nice to teach them things about the Hilo community and Hawaii. A must see in Hilo. read more

Hilo gets about 300 inches of rain a year. The Pacific Tsunami Museum is a great way to spend the afternoon and you do not want to miss the 24 minute movie on loop showing the devastation that hit this area. Outstanding videos, stories from survivors of scenarios, and really interesting interactive displays. read more

Pacific Tsunami Museum - Great original photography - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Located in the heart of "downtown" Hilo, this is an interesting history of tsunamis that have hit Hilo in 1946, 1960, and 1964. There are lotss of pictures and exhibits of the destruction and how the town has had to be rebuilt. It's all very interesting and a sobering reminder of the potential consequences of living in a bay on an island. They have exhibits about tsunamis in other places as well, for example Japan. There is a 25 minute video on tsunamis and effects on Hawaii. The museum is suitable for all ages but probably not very interesting for younger kids. read more

This is a great museum, full of photos and fine explanations. Well worth a visit. Right downtown. read more

Pacific Tsunami Museum - displays - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

See all

Everything you ever wanted to know about Tsunamis you'll find here. The docents are very well informed and will answer any and all questions. So many exhibits video and boards showing the 2 most devastating tsunamis in recent history to hit the islands. First hand interviews with survivors and also exhibits on the Japanese tsunami and the Indian tsunami that devastate Thailand, India, Indonesia etc. It's worth a visit if you're into the science of stuff. read more

My family enjoyed this little museum. Lots of information and history packed into this space! The curators were very knowledgeable and friendly. Definitely a neat spot to check out and bring family to when visiting. read more

If you come to visit this museum stay for the 23 min video in the old vault, yes this museum is the old bank. The video gave me chicken skin. Stroll the museum read and hear survival stories. Take in some history of past tsunamis not just in hilo and get tips on what to do during a Tsunami warning. They are here to educate the public about tsunamis. Kama'aina prices available. Clean restroom. Lil gift shop. We was here for an hour if not for the farmers market closing soon we could have stayed longer. read more

See all

To ensure you have a pleasant experience while visiting the Pacific Tsunami Museum, please place your expectations at an all-time low prior to entering. * We had zero pre-conceived ideas about the PTM experience prior to visiting, so we happily paid the entrance fee of $18 per adult. (How did they arrived at the $18 fee to walk in what is primarily a big, partitioned room, with lots of reading for guests, you ask? We have no idea. * The P.T.M. Is great for introverts, the 'mature' crowd, and those individuals who LOVE to read every placard. Not recommended for: * individuals under the age of 20 * very active adults * adults who dislike reading * the over-tired * the hungry * the whiny * and those with a short attention span. * The highlight of the P.T.M. Is The Film. The cozy, quiet, and dark 'movie room' is a very nice place for those in your group who may need a short nap. * Say your group is divided between those who want to visit the PTM, and those who are less excited about the visit. This is NOT the time to 'go with the flow'. Allowing those who do not really really want to read for the next hour to do their own thing will bring immense rewards. Trust me. read more

The museum is small but so very personal. In the short time we were there, Mike and Heather were great docents and told us some really amazing stories about the tsunamis that hit the region. The museum honors so many survivors and the ones that were lost. It is an interesting experience for young and old alike. read more

This is a very striking reminder of what a tsunami can turn into. I am very thankful for this museum. It is a clear warning of tsunamis, behaviors and actions to take in the event of. If you are in Hilo or happen to visit, do take a listen. read more

Pacific Tsunami Museum - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

While visiting Hilo, Hawaii we stopped by this Museum which offered so much on the history of Hilo. When visiting, you should make this stop a must. read more

Pacific Tsunami Museum - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

I checked the website before going and it said it was open at 10. It was closed. the hanging paper clock said they would be open at 12. The signs on the doors gave hours of operation beginning at 10 am. Returned just after 11 after seeing movement inside. Knocked on door. Lady inside said they are not open at all. OK. I get it! COVID! WELL CHANGE YOUR WEBSITE AND POST A SIGN ON YOUR DOOR! read more

We stopped by the tsunami center as an educational field trip during our Big Island vacation. There is a tv video played when there is enough people to fill the video room (previously a bank vault). There is an entrance fee that will allow you to wander around a small exhibit area and fill about 45 mins of your time. There are some guides there that can provide some insights to any questions regarding previous Hilo tsunamis. I agree with other reviewers.... It is pricey for what you get. I don't remember the entrance fee, but we shelled out almost $30 for two adults and three kids. read more

A must see museum especially for people considering to move here in hilo. The short movie is the easiest medium that anyone could see the impact of a tsunami. Warnings should be taken seriously. read more

Pacific Tsunami Museum - The vault theater... it where the tsunami movie is being played. Thus museum is located in a building that used to be a bank. - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

This museum will disappoint you if you are looking for lots of funky buttons designed to teach you science concepts suitable for an eight-year-old. If you've looking to understand Hilo and how it has been shaped by these natural disasters, this museum will enrich you with its exhibits, story walls, movie, and oral histories that are easily accessed via computer screens spread throughout the former bank. The point the exhibits make is that tsunamis aren't an adventure or spectacle but an unavoidable disaster that cost lives. Truth hurts some, raises the awareness of others. read more

Pacific Tsunami Museum - Damage to property at Waiakea after the tsunami - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Ok, this is a neat little place. We were driving by Hilo just to walk off our post lunch calories and we found the Pacific Tsunami Museum. We had never heard of the place and had we not parked where we did we wouldn't have found it. This is a small little museum located on that boardwalk near downtown Hilo. When you go inside, don't forget that you need to pay. Yes they take credit cards. We were offered a movie viewing but we had to wait another 15 min for the next showing so we opted to skip it. I will say that the museum really had some interesting information that I didn't previously know not just about the tsunami that hit Hilo but other large tsunamis around the world. Of course they provide some great information about how a tsunami is formed, when to be concerned and when they may expect another to happen. All great information and if you have time to kill a good way to educate yourself about this interesting natural disaster. There is plenty of parking around the museum. Not a must see but definitely not a bad see. Afterwards, you can go walk around and see the little shops down the street. A great way to spark some nerdy discussions! read more

The unique nature of this museum gave the founders so much room for creativity that the result is incredibly disappointing. Even the exhibits that seemed as if they might have a small degree of excitement left me thinking I could have created better with a shoebox and a few glasses of water. I did enjoy learning about Mark Twain's influence in the islands, but that seemed somewhat irrelevant to the museum's subject, and I would have felt gypped had it not been raining and the museum had afforded some shelter. Plus, the docents didn't mind that I recharged my camera batteries. An extra star for friendliness! But someone needs to come through and bring the exhibits up to 21st-century standards. Until then, I'll do my tsunami research online and save the admission free. read more

If you have an hour to spare, this is an excellent place to visit-for locals and tourists alike. That's my review in a nutshell, but this is why. The location is pretty cool. It's in an old bank building, and if you watch the video (which is actually really informative) you get to go into the vault- a little unnerving to walk into, and I found myself glancing at the door to make sure they couldn't lock us in-but that's just me I'm sure. The information is current. Having gone through the last 2 Tsunami evacuations on Oahu (March 10, 2011 when it hit Japan and the last one that we went through in Oct of 2012) it was interesting to read about it from Japan's side- and what scientists learned from it. There was a display of some broken china that a family had donated, and it made it very "real" for those of us that simply saw the devastation on tv. They really, really, stress what to do and what not to do during a Tsunami. For those of us that live in the Islands (or any other island, like Japan, Guam, etc.) I appreciated this. It's one thing to hear the warning sirens being tested every month, or to listen to the news during the last two evacuations about why we were being evacuated- but it was another to actually learn why it was so important. I appreciated the layman's terms they used in explaining why a bigger wave might hit right after a smaller wave- or it might take a couple of hours after they predict it will "hit" I also enjoyed all of the personal narratives- people that got swept out to sea only to be rescued, or what it was like to see the ocean pull in only to come back with a vengeance. It strengthened the point of how serious things can get, even when they don't look that bad. The museum offers Ka'maaina and military discounts and the staff is friendly and knowledgeable. There is really no reason NOT to visit at least once. If you're already at the Farmer's Market it''s a quick block away. At the very least you donate to a wonderful organization. At the most you get a deeper understanding and appreciation of a natural disaster that is a very real threat in the islands and worldwide. read more

This place is like a learning center about tsunamis. The people here knows everything about tsunamis. The reason for the 2 stars is that I don't think its worth $8.00 or $7.00 for kamaainas. read more

Harsh guys. I found the Tsunami Museum to be a pretty good overview of tsunami mechanics and the history of tsunamis in the Pacific. The museum doesn't stick to just Hawaii's (short) history of tsunamis; it also goes into the recent major tsunamis that hit Japan and Thailand. Also, the museum's sprinkled with personal testimonies, some of which are riveting. Admittedly, the quality of the exhibitions is about on the same level as a fifth grade science fair, but the information's all there. read more

This is a smaller, cozy but excellent museum on the history of and workings of tsunamis in Hawaii and throughout the world. The information in their exhibits and interactions is very contemporary, even covering extensively the tsunami in Japan in 2011. The mechanics of tsunami generation, movement time and severity upon landfall is very well explained. Information provided is educational and keen on building awareness in everyone from gradeschool through adult. Information is communicated at a 6th grade level so most anyone can understand it, even those visiting from other countries. This museum is outstanding for children beyond the age of 6. The personal accounts provided throughout the museum brings to you the many backstories of survival that you otherwise wouldn't get by reading Wikipedia. I believe you could get about half of the information provided in the museum online, but you would have to go hunt for it all. And you would not have the personal backstories that brought alive the survival of the tsunamis that destroyed lower Hilo town. read more

Let's be serious, we aren't at any huge fancy museum, but this tiny place is well done. The video could be updated, but the information given is interesting and relevant. The workers are informative and helpful. I really enjoyed this little museum. read more

Not the cool and fun museum that most people are used to. This museum is more like a memorabilia of the tsunamis that hit Hilo along with some more recent ones across the world. There are many videos to look at that explains what happens and mostly the history of Hilo tsunamis. This place can get really boring very quickly. Thank god there was a make your own tsunami machine, although that too got pretty boring. If you really really have time while your in Hilo and you have pretty much done everything in a 25 mile radius of this place, then come take some time to enjoy this place. The people here are very nice and will tell you when they put movies on. read more

This museum offers a wonderful history and education about tsunamis that devasted the Big Island. It also provides interesting facts about the environment. Living on an island, I hope more people go to the museum so they will learn about how serious we should take the warnings. Take heed to the sirens! read more

Early morning the front entrance is a cardboard bedroom...the trash can was over filled and garbage spilling onto the sidewalk. The area reeks of urine and human excrement. If you want to see this museum thrive...the area around it needs *consistant* care...and video surveillance. Hilo needs more adequate restrooms for visitors that arrive early. read more

This review contains false information. If Rachel paid $18.00 per person to tour the Pacific Tsunami Museum, she obviously can't read. The prices are clearly posted on both doors and the admission desk read more

Was intresting. Not outstanding. The family and I checked the museum out together. Lots of facts were given. The move was sad and intresting. Small museum that thankfully has air-conditioning and was a nice place to escape the heat. The mold smell was a bit much for me, had to leave shortly after because of it. read more

This was educational and touching. You can see videos of survivors and learn about tsunami. Who knew! I enjoy history and touching stories. It is worth checking out. read more

Well worth the admission fees!! My husband and I visiting from Oahu for the weekend, had some time to kill, so we checked out this little gem. AC is a nice reprieve from the heat. They have a movie they play that last 23 mins, if they don't turn down the lights, it's a dial on the wall by the door. The seating is stadium bench style covered with carpet and boast plenty of room to nap... I mean relax. I was also really glad no keki were there to wake me... I mean disrupt the informative movie. I give this place 4 stars!!!!! It would be 5 if the movie was on a loop. If I was in Hilo killing time I would definitely come back again. Friendly staff, cool AC, not crowded, seats, 23 min riveting documentary!!!! read more

Very informative. The volunteers are passionate about the museum and educating the public about tsunamis. Plan to spend at least 1 hour to hear the volunteers lesson. read more

Loved this museum. Staff v informative. Real life stories about the most recent tsunami. Mechanical model of a tsunami. Video of interviews with harrowing accounts of survival amid profound loss. V moving. And v informative. Lessons in signs of an impending tsunami and clear message to leave when the alarm sounds. Interesting tsunami souvenir t shirts, mugs and books. Could adult spend a couple hours here. Only had one to spare. Great coffee shop next door. read more