The Kauai Museum's footprint may appear small from the outside, but it's packed full of unique Hawaiian exhibits, paintings and history in every corner of its different rooms. It's a place you can visit more than once and still find items you didn't see before, as it's frequently updated with new displays.
The Kauai Museum opened in 1960 with the mission of showcasing the rich history and artifacts of the islands of Kauai and neighboring Niihau. The curation is carefully designed and detailed, with such historical treasures as a Niihau shell lei; Hawaiian quilts; tools for making kapa blankets and for stone carving; hula implements; and a bell stone, which the museum says are a tradition that dates to the 13th century and were rung to announce the birth of a royal baby or warn of danger. It also has examples of decorated squash gourds made on Niihau.
The many paintings by artist Evelyn Ritter throughout the museum are eye-catchingly gorgeous. They are also important to telling the story of Kauai and Niihau, as they depict members of the Islands' royal family as well as various scenes from history, many of which took place before photographs were available.
In the adjacent Rice Building, visitors can continue their journey through history as its rooms transports them through more modern eras. Galleries here cover missionaries, plantation village life and great surfers of Hawaii.
One of Kauai Museum's newest exhibit features various pieces of kapa. Photo Credit: Christine Hitt
A recently opened cultural exhibit, "The Art of Kapa -- A Tradition Almost Lost," features a large collection of handmade kapa blankets, bringing wonder to the artisans who created them. The fabric is painstakingly made by soaking and pounding the inner bark of the wauke (paper mulberry tree) with a wooden tool until it's flattened thin, like paper. When it's finished, the kapa is designed using dyes, which are applied with a wooden object similar to a stamp.
Another exhibit of note is one containing artifacts from the Haaheo o Hawaii. The royal yacht of King Kamehameha's son, Liholiho, was shipwrecked in Hanalei Bay in 1824. In 1995, the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History received permission to investigate the wreck, and in 2015, it sent the Kauai Museum some of the artifacts for permanent display, including coins, poi pounders, furniture pieces and ship decorations.
Aside from its exhibits, the museum also hosts events and classes where visitors are welcome. Making lei poo (a lei headpiece), painting, weaving and hula are some of the classes taking place at the museum. They're a great way for visitors to immerse themselves in the community and get to know some of the locals.
General admission to the museum is $15; seniors pay $12 and students $10. Children under age 8 are free. Guided tours are available on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.