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Destination: Oahu/Waikiki Article Source: Copyright © 2012 by Fodor’s Travel, a division of Random House Inc. All rights reserved.
Founded in 1889 by Charles R. Bishop as a memorial to his wife, Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, the museum began as a repository for the royal possessions of this last direct descendant of King Kamehameha the Great. Today it's the Hawaii State Museum of Natural and Cultural History. Its five exhibit halls house almost 25 million items that tell the history of the Hawaiian Islands and their Pacific neighbors. The latest addition to the complex is a 16,500 square-foot natural-science wing with a three-story simulated volcano at its center.
A smaller version of the stores located in Ward Center and Ward Warehouse carries koa bowls and boxes, ceramics, and art glass. www.noheagallery.com.
These shops are really galleries representing more than 450 artists who specialize in koa furniture, bowls, and boxes, as well as art glass and ceramics. Original paintings and prints—all with an island theme—add to the selection. They also carry unique handmade Hawaiian jewelry with ti leaf, maile, and coconut-weave designs. The koa photo albums in these stores are easy to carry home and make wonderful gifts. www.noheagallery.com.
Stop in this gallery to browse modern works from some of Hawaii's finest artists. In addition to pieces by resident artists, there are monthly exhibitions from visiting artists. www.louispohlgallery.com.
With locations around the island, Jeff Chang has become synonymous with excellent craftsmanship and originality in Raku pottery, blown glass, and koa wood. Gift ideas include petroglyph stoneware coasters, ceramic and glass jewelry, blown-glass penholders and business-card holders, and Japanese Aeto chimes. The owners choose work from 300 different local and national artists.
Destination: Maui Article Source: Copyright © 2012 by Fodor’s Travel, a division of Random House Inc. All rights reserved.
At the MACC (as it's called) you can enjoy a concert under the glass-capped Yokouchi Pavilion, rock music at the A&B Amphitheater, or theatrical and dance performances in the multitiered, 1,200-seat Castle Theater. A major draw is the free Schaeffer International Gallery, which houses superb rotating art exhibits. The complex, surrounded by a lava-rock wall, incorporates works by Maui artists. www.mauiarts.org. OPEN: Weekdays 9--5.
When you experience Maui firsthand, it's hard not to gush about the long, perfect beaches, dramatic cliffs, greener-than-green rain forests, and the fragrance of plumeria that hangs over it all. Add to that the amazing marine life and the culture and history of the Hawaiian people, and it's easy to see why Maui is so popular.
Smack-dab in the center of Front Street, this eye-catching Chinese temple reflects the importance of early Chinese immigrants to Lahaina. Built by the Wo Hing Society in 1912, the museum contains beautiful artifacts, historic photos of old Lahaina, and a Taoist altar. Don't miss the films playing in the rustic theater next door—some of Thomas Edison's first films, shot in Hawaii circa 1898, show Hawaiian wranglers herding steer onto ships. Ask the docent for some star fruit from the tree outside, for the altar or for yourself. COST: $7. OPEN: Sat.--Thurs. 10--4, Fri. 1--8 pm.
The skeleton of a massive whale leads the way to the Whale Center of the Pacific on the second floor of Whalers Village. Here you can learn about the hard life of whalers during the 19th-century Moby-Dick era. A replica of their living quarters, their tools and equipment, their letters and business papers, and other artifacts are on display. Many historical photos illustrate how the whalers chased and captured these giants of the deep and how they processsed their catch while out at sea. Several short films run continuously, including one about Hawaiian turtles and the folklore surrounding them. www.whalersvillage.com/museum.htm. COST: $3. OPEN: Daily 10--6.
Protestant missionaries established Lahainaluna Seminary as a center of learning and enlightenment in 1831. Six years later, they built this printing shop, where they and their young Hawaiian scholars created a written Hawaiian language and used it to produce a Bible, history texts, and a newspaper. An exhibit displays a replica of the original Rampage press and facsimiles of early printing. The oldest U.S. educational institution west of the Rockies, the seminary now serves as Lahaina's public high school. COST: Donations accepted. OPEN: Weekdays 10--4.