When in Kauai, do take some time
out to visit the Kauai Museum located on 4428 Rice Street, off
Lihu'e in the eastern part of the town for an insightful and
educational perspective of the Big Island's rich and varied
heritage.
Here you will find assorted historical remains of Hawaiian
artifacts and carefully preserved commemorative products of a
culture seeped in mythology, magic, spirituality and mystery!
The stately Greco-Roman building housing the Kauai Museum was
once the town library that was converted into a storehouse of
the island's historical artifacts in recent years and contains
valuable information about Kauai's history, from the time Capt.
James Cook officially discovered the island way back in 1778)
right through its monarchy period, followed by its plantation
era up to the present times. This is also the reason why the
Kauai Museum's known as the place preserving the legacy of
Kauai!
A cultural sanctuary and a truly marvelous, dynamic and growing
tourist attraction besides a keeper of the island's creative
spirit, the museum hosts exhibitions of local artists regularly
besides organizing special activities for promoting native
crafts and dying arts.
The Kauai Museum usually operates from 9 in the morning to 4 in
the evening, from Monday to Friday, opening one hour later on
Saturdays with a Sunday closure functioning.
You can phone it at 808-245-6931 to find out timings and updated
entry fees for groups and individual visits. For example, adults
are charged approx five dollars, senior citizens get a
one-dollar discount on that sum while teens are only charged $3
with just a single dollar charge on children aged 6 to 12. (Kids
below six are admitted free of charge to the Kauai Museum).
Please note: the first Saturday of the month is tagged as
"Family Day," at the Kauai Museum so admissions are free on this
day, every month.
A veritable treasure trove of Kauai Island's heritage, the
Museum features vintage photographs across various cultural
themes, including the history of its beautiful leis. One can
learn about the advent of the unique craft of lei making as well
as get to know how distinctive ones, such as feathered leis came
into being. A section named, 'The Story of Lana'i' is a must-see
when at the Kauai Museum. It is permanently on display, in
addition to other unique local arts and crafts. Some of these
include calabashes, poi pounders, tapa and pohaku; additionally,
highlights of the Musuem crafts are on display on Lei Daya and
during its Christmas Craft Fair.
Apart from this permanent display, there are several traveling
exhibits and special events being held at the Kauai Museum
through the year.
For those wanting to pick up one-of-a-kind Hawaiian gifts, there
is a convenient gift shop located in the Museum premises where
admission is free, offering plenty of opportunity for window
shopping as well as picking up unique souvenirs reminiscent of a
tropical get-away that is historically as well as romantically
significant. It has many vintage collectables too!
There are many galleries contained in the Kauai Museum, each
featuring a varied display of assorted Kauai cultural themes
such as artworks by local painters, handcrafted Lihue gift items
in the souvenir shop, a living museum, changing exhibit items, a
series of hands-on events to promote the local flavor and even
children's art!
Click by http://www.kauaimuseum.org and you can visit the museum
virtually - via a cool slide-show of its display sections -
that's sure to work its charm and get you there in person!
