Hawaiʻi's big museum of Hawaiian and Pacific culture and natural history, on Bernice Street in Honolulu, with sensory tips in its own words: it is quietest one to two hours before its 5 pm close, sound, temperature and light change between buildings, and your admission sticker lets you step out and come back the same day.
Open daily, 9 am to 5 pm. General Admission arrivals are booked between 9 am and 4 pm; the last check-in is at 4 pm, and guests who check in may stay until 5 pm. Closed Thanksgiving (Thu Nov 26 2026), Christmas Eve (Thu Dec 24 2026), Christmas Day (Fri Dec 25 2026) and New Year's. The café, Tūtū's Place by Highway Inn, is open 10:30 am to 3:30 pm daily and closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.
“Bishop Museum is quietest one to two hours before closing time of 5 pm.”
“We’re typically busier with school groups until noon on weekdays and have peak attendance in the summer.”
“Please be aware that there are noise, temperature, and lighting changes when going to and from various buildings on campus or from the Planetarium to the campus walkway.”
“Take advantage of the Museum’s in-and-out privileges when wearing your day-of-admission sticker. You can step out and enjoy lunch off-campus and re-enter the same day as often as you like.”
The museum's tips for guests with sensory needs: it is quietest one to two hours before the 5 pm close, moving between exhibits can be hard, look over the exhibits and daily programs before you go, and use the in-and-out privileges to step out.
The main entrance is by Shop Pacifica and Visitor Parking 1. The campus has Hawaiian Hall, Pacific Hall, the Planetarium, the café, the Science Adventure Center and a native Hawaiian garden. Accessible restrooms are in every public building, and baby-changing stations are in Hawaiian Hall, the Science Adventure Center and Atherton Hālau.
Planetarium shows are an add-on to admission and are bought on site. Daytime shows cost about $3 extra per person ($2.95 to $3, listed both ways), and members get daily shows free. Through Tue Nov 24 2026, the planetarium has no daytime public shows on Wednesdays.
Events on the museum grounds in the coming weeks include the Member Preview of UNDER/GROUND, 4 to 6 pm Fri Nov 20 2026, the UNDER/GROUND grand opening, 6 to 9 pm the same evening, the ʻUkulele Guild of Hawaiʻi Exhibition, 9 am to 4:30 pm Sat Nov 21 2026, and Lā Kūʻokoʻa, 3 to 7 pm Sat Nov 28 2026. The museum's events calendar lists more.
Prices change by day and season. General Admission: adults $33.95 to $38.95, seniors 65+ $30.95 to $35.95, youth 4 to 17 $25.95 to $30.95. Kamaʻāina and military: adults $19.95 to $24.95, seniors $17.95 to $22.95, youth $15.95 to $20.95. Members pay $0 or a $3.00 special exhibition fee per person; fees may vary by membership level. Buying online in advance with promo code MAHALO20 takes 20% off admission; promotions can't be combined.
Museums for All: free regular admission for up to four people with a SNAP EBT card, on site only and for daily admissions only, plus free parking for one vehicle; skip the parking payment and check in at the ticket counter in Shop Pacifica. An interpreter or aide who comes with and assists a visitor who is deaf, hearing-impaired, blind or partially sighted, or a person with specific learning disabilities, gets in free.
The museum accepts credit cards only, no cash. If you already hold a pre-purchased admission ticket that is still valid, it is honored on a space-available basis on the day you come.
Parking is $10 per vehicle, free for members with a valid parking sticker, first come, first served; pay by the signs in the lot. Accessible parking is in the main visitor lot and the Pākī Lot. By bus from Waikīkī, the #2 ‘School St./Middle St.’ takes about an hour.
Backpacks over 20 pounds and travel luggage can't go into the exhibit spaces; you can check them at the Admissions Desk for $5.00 per item.
You are welcome to bring your own food, as long as it is not taken into or eaten in the exhibit spaces. Café food is not made in an allergen-free kitchen. The campus is single-use plastic-free, so bring a refillable water bottle with a secure lid.
A limited number of manual wheelchairs can be borrowed free at the Admissions Desk in Shop Pacifica, first come, first served, by leaving a photo ID. Nursing is allowed anywhere on campus, and a private space can be made available on request.
