Bishop Museum

Bishop Museum

The newly renovated Bishop Museum combines hands-on, interactive exhibits with science and history. If the words "educational" and "fun" can be used in the same sentence (and we know they can), those two words can sum up a Bishop Museum experience that features a walk-through volcano replica, ancient Hawaiian and Polynesian artifacts, and planetarium shows.

Four distinct buildings make up the grounds, beginning with the planetarium. Several shows are scheduled throughout the day, sending viewers across the farthest reaches of our galaxy. On the first and third Fridays of the month, the planetarium also hosts stargazing for cosmos enthusiasts to use the museum's powerful telescopes.

The next building on the path is the newly renovated Hawaiian Hall where visitors can peruse four stories of Hawaiian and Polynesian artifacts ranging from feather robes to early cooking tools. Hanging directly overhead is a full-size casting of a sperm whale. Half the body has been recreated with a plaster shell and the other half is bare, exposing a cross-sectional view of a whale's skeletal structure and outer appearance.

Back on the path, the Science Adventure Center contains interactive displays on oceanography, biodiversity, and a host of scientific experiments. The focal point though, is the walk-through volcano display. Looming two stories high, it details the forces behind volcanic activity and the rumblings of our earth.

Finally, the main exhibition hall holds an assortment of rotating exhibits. Previous exhibits have featured dinosaurs, animation, bugs, and roller coasters.

With wide-ranging, kid-friendly exhibits, a trip to the Bishop Museum introduces visitors to a whole new scientific undiscovered world: our world.

- Jason Kamimoto