We had been to The Tropic Lightning Museum ten years ago, on our first trip to Oahu, just after my husband's father died. We had both been to Hawaii before, and as military brats, were familiar with the history. My father-in-law and his wife were stationed on Oahu in December, 1941, when he was in the Army and his wife was an Army nurse. On our first trip, we retraced the steps of where they had lived in Wahiawa, and visited Scholfield Barracks, where you can still see the furrows made by guns in the landing strip.
We stumbled upon the Tropic Lightning Museum on a rainy afternoon and really enjoyed the glimpse into the past that it afforded. Admission is free, but to enter the base, you must show ID, Vehicle Registration, and Insurance, and have your vehicle inspected to get a Day Pass at the Main Gate (Lyman) before going in.
The first time we were there, we were entranced with the personal accounts of people who had been on Oahu and their experiences while in the service, or as military dependents. The artifacts were mostly on the right side of the building, and it was a bit like visiting an old library.
Now the museum has benefitted by the addition of professional quality displays to the left with the use of computerized and animated information to fill the viewer in on the history and meaning of the displayed artifacts. I was also appreciative of the dioramas that showed the history of military combat. The museum has upped its game to a fascinating professional level.
There is also a brochure available for a self-guided walking tour of the area, which features some of the residences on base of historic interest. read more