The Capitol Modern Art Museum on Richards Street in Honolulu is an amazing experience! Best of all,…read moreit's free to attend and offers a wonderful mix of art, music, dancing, and community. I enjoyed exploring the art exhibits and seeing the creativity of local artists. There were also vendors selling local products, jewelry, hats, clothing, and other unique items. If you'd like, you can also grab a drink or food while enjoying the event. The museum hosts special First Friday events every month, creating a fun and vibrant atmosphere where people can gather, socialize, and appreciate art and culture. For convenient parking, I recommend the Aliʻi Place parking garage, where parking is very affordable. It's a great way to spend an evening in downtown Honolulu, whether you're a local or a visitor.

Capital Modern, Hawaii State Art Museum is a beautiful museum located downtown Honolulu surrounded…read moreby historical and modern buildings. Old and new Honolulu come together in this location. The grounds are scenic and lovely, really nice area to stroll and enjoy some of Hawaiian history and art. Lots of street parking and free parking after 6pm. I usually go on First Friday which is always a blast, they always have different local entertainment throughout the evening and sometimes the place really gets rocking from the music. The nice thing, kids are welcome as well so the whole family can attend. On the second floor there is two galleries that house the different art and artists. The wood floors are beautiful. Every month there is a different theme and the art work is rotated so it never gets old. Also on the second floor are different vendors that are selling food products or locally made products for sale. They also have beer and wine available for sale. The staff are great and very helpful. If you have a bag, the security outside the gallery will check it for you as well as any waterbottles. Admission is free but donations are accepted and really appreciated. Come check this place out, you won't be disappointed.

After years and years of wanting to go, I FINALLY saw the Shangri La Museum up close and personal…read more You need to make reservations online and take the museum's shuttle bus to and from this location. Pay for parking at the Honolulu Museum of Art and check in, then wait for your shuttle in the front of the museum. You'll be shuttled in AC buses. Once you're done, they'll take you back and you have full access to the Honolulu Museum of Art for the same day. That's such a great deal! Two museums for the price of one ticket.

I took a trip to the one of the most remarkable and astonishing estates here in Hawai'i. The tour…read moreof Shangri La first began at the Honolulu Museum of Art where I checked-in and boarded the tour bus trip that took about 15 minutes. The service at Shangri La was great. There were three different employees who were available to answer questions and guide us. We were offered and handheld fan, water and a yummy ice cream sandwich treat at the end.

Friendly staff and tons to see. The grounds and are well-kept and walkable. You'll learn a lot…read moreabout Hawaiian history and the Pacific region. There's rotating exhibits in the Castle Memorial Building. When I take the kids, I go to the Science Adventure Center to see the volcano simulation. I would spend about 3-4 hours at the museum. If you need to rest, there's benches and water refill stations across the property. The only cafe on-site is Tutu's Place by Highway Inn. The food is good (consistent with Highway Inn quality). It does get packed though, so plan your dining accordingly.

Museum entry was complimentary courtesy of our hotel. We knew about it the last time we visited the…read moreislands, but didn't have time to make it over to the museum. It's a great place to learn about Hawaiian history and the culture. It also wasn't very crowded and a good way to seek refuge from the sun. I would recommend the planetarium shows (additional charge of $3/person). We spent about 3 hours here including the planetarium show.

"Abstraction allows man to see with his mind what he cannot see physically with his eyes…read more.. Abstract art enables the artist to perceive beyond the tangible, to extract the infinite out of the finite. It is the emancipation of the mind. It is an exploration into unknown areas." - Arshile Gorky After recent visits to the Hawai'i State Art Museum and Honolulu Museum of Art, we were inspired to visit this art museum. This Contemporary Museum at the First Hawaiian Center is an extension of the Honolulu Museum of Art. It features the work by artists of Hawai'i who use a variety of media and displays can be found in the bank's lobby and second floor mezzanine. Exhibits and artistic works are routinely rotated. The museum isn't very large and usually has enough space to feature 3 artists at a time. I can't express how the different artwork affected my senses and emotions as everyone will have their own impression(s). You may or may not feel or see what I have seen or what the artist was trying to express. However, when you come to the First Hawaiian Center, you'll also be impressed with the architecture. The former CEO and Chairman of First Hawaiian Bank, Walter A. Dods, Jr, is responsible for completing and opening Hawai'i's tallest building. Distinctive architectural features bring in as much natural sunlight as possible, views from its mountain-side use vertically-proportioned windows and ocean-facing views can be seen through horizontally framed windows that capture the sea and horizon. The building's shape resembles a knife as it "slashes through" its banking competition, Bank of Hawai'i. If you happen to be in Downtown Honolulu's Financial District, check out this museum. Explore and discover the unknown.

The Contemporary Museum is located inside the main branch of First Hawaiian Bank. It occupies…read moresections of the first and second floors. A person would need to take the stairs to get to the second floor. I'm unsure if the art gallery wing on the second floor can be accessed by the elevators...if they do then a person would have to pass the FHB workers in order to get to the gallery First Hawaiian Bank and Honolulu Museum of Art just had their 20th anniversary of partnership in 2016. Paintings and art sculptures on the two levels are part of the First Hawaiian Bank's art collections. Individuals are able to browse both levels for free. All art in the museum were done by individuals growing up in Hawaii or from transplanted former residents of the island. I recommend everyone to stop by the Contemporary Museum in the Downtown Honolulu location of First Hawaiian Bank. 10/100

Hidden gem! The second floor is an incredible showcase of a collection from across the world, and…read moredon't miss the full jade Buddha on the first floor. I did significant damage purchasing pearl and angel skin coral jewelry from Flora and they are now some of my favorite pieces in my rotation (and I'm normally a Cartier girl!). Really interesting that they do school field trips here to have students familiarize themselves with all different types of rocks, minerals, and other similar material. Highly recommend for folks stopping by in Waikiki, not a tourist trap for sure!!!!

What a great cause from this small family run business. No admission price. Kids from schools are…read morebrought to see up close gems, stones, corals from all over the world to see and touch first hand. Large intricate sculpted figures on display. There is a wide variety of quality jewelry for purchase. Better priced than many other establishments I've went to. Such as 3 for $20 or 2 for $30 for bracelets, earnings and necklaces. Much better quality too. Very nice people. Parking can be tricky. If you luck out on street parking I suggest Target/international market place perhaps?

Loved the tour, history and the house. It was amazing. But…read moreas someone who is regular weight and height, but struggling with infertility, to be asked by the docent whether I was pregnant, is hugely hurtful and shows lack of interpersonal interactions. Specially as she was a woman, or even it it were a man, that is unacceptable. I am not expecting. We are going through IVF. I thought everyone from a young age was asked not to ask that kind of question. I loved our visit, but now it's on a sour feeling. Would not recommend bc of conduct of the docent. Otherwise, it's spectacular

Perched high in the mountains of Makiki Heights and nestled in an oasis of eucalyptus trees and…read morelush tropical foliage sits the magnificent Liljestrand House. Getting there is quite the experience of hairpin turns and winding roads, but once you see the low sprawling home, your blood pressure will return to normal. With its Japanese aesthetic and simple clean lines, the home captures the ambience of country cabin meets mid-century modern innovation and convenience. Once occupied by the Lilijestrand family, today the House is a showpiece of architectural excellence best experienced on a small guided tour. We were lucky to have Lisa and Kim as our guides, regaling us with one fascinating story after another along with intimate peeks into the lives of the architect and the homeowners. The breathtaking views from every room in the house is as gasp-inducing as the artwork and amazing nooks and crannies. Betty Lilijestrand oversaw the construction and it's her foresight along with Ossipoff's brilliant design that makes one marvel at their genius. Remember to wear shoes that can be removed easily, and plan to do some walking and taking lots of photos. And ... I imagined if I lived here I wouldn't want to leave! A wonderful experience that I highly recommend! Enjoy!

Historical building with beautiful architecture and a spacious garden. It was closed today so we…read moreweren't able to enter. This is the Royal palace for King Kamehameha and other royals until 1893. This is an easy walk from the piers if you are on a cruise. The Monkey Pod trees are huge and spacious. The grounds are well kept.

As a Kamaaina, i bought my husband to Iolani Palace to share our beautiful…read moreculture. From ticket to exit, Aloha is no longer present at the palace. No friendly warm smile. Poor customer service. Lack of docent knowledge. The strict rules are fine and understandable but just poor ambassadors of our alii's home.

Signed up for "Some Like It Hot" because I want to learn more about jewelry-making and had my first…read morelesson today. First time visiting the Art School and first time working with a handsaw. Metalsmithing is no joke! My left tricep is sore just from holding the copper piece in place. The instructor, Juvana S., was professional, approachable, friendly, and seems knowledgeable. I found myself wishing the class was a YouTube tutorial because I need to watch/hear some things on repeat and also pause when needed. The class went on a good pace though since my fellow classmates were mostly new to this type of thing. The Metals Studio has everything (I guess) stocked and laid out. The three hours went by really quickly. I can't wait to learn more in the weeks to come!

I went to the Pecha Kucha night (20 slides, 20 seconds each) on Friday to get a flavor of this…read morestyle of presentation (to implement in my classroom). We showed up minutes before intermission and right away I noticed... 1. The sound quality was poor (you could barely hear from the back where most of the crowd was standing) 2. There were limited stools to sit on but a majority of the crowd was standing... 3. There was a tent with free beer but they don't serve during the presentations (intermission looked like a scene from Walmart on Black Friday) The presentations were... not what I expected. The next Pecha Kucha night is on March 9th and I think I'm going to give it another shot. Chamorro Grindz was the featured food truck but we ate before we came (the reason why we were an hour late). The highlight of the night was when I discovered that teachers can check out artifacts to share with their students ... for free.