History Museums in Honolulu
THE 5 BEST Honolulu History Museums
History Museums in Honolulu
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Types of Attractions
Museums
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Travelers' Choice Awards winners (including the "Best of the Best" title) are among the top 10% of listings on Tripadvisor, according to the reviews and opinions of travelers across the globe.
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- Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, number of page views, and user location.
Speciality Museums • Historic Sites
Downtown Honolulu
Recommended Museum Tickets and Passes (4)
Revenue impacts these recommendations, learn more.
Historic Sites • Cemeteries
Open now
Admission tickets from $20
Military Museums • Historic Sites
Waikiki
Historic Sites • History Museums
Military Museums • History Museums
Waikiki
•
Open now
History Museums
What travelers are saying
- SEIA2DCWashington, DC58 contributionsI did very little research before going to Pearl Harbor, luckily a few days before I found an excellent local travel website that recommended how to experience this important place. First, it’s easy to do this on your own. You do not need one of the crazy expensive travel companies or tours. You DO need to reserve tickets to the Arizona Memorial early. We booked about three weeks in advance and were limited to just two afternoon time slots left the day we had planned to make this stop. Other than that, you can buy tickets on site when you arrive for the other sites run by the NPS. Those include the USS Missouri, the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum and the USS Bowfin submarine. If you are interested in taking everything in I would allocate an entire day. We took an Uber from Waikiki, arriving around noon, and were able to barely fit in the aviation museum and Bowfin in addition to the Arizona and the short movie at the theater. We were at Pearl Harbor almost five hours and felt like we really rushed the aviation part because we did that before our timed Arizona tickets. If I were doing this again, I would do the Bowfin before the Arizona as that it right at the main gate and you can walk right into it. Then I would do the movie before going to the Arizona. The movie is 15 minutes. The Arizona is a strict 30-45 minutes, you are not allowed to linger. Then I would do the Missouri and the Aviation museum (2-3 hours combined), because those are on Ford Island and you have to take a 15-minute shuttle from the main gate. Shuttles run every 10-15 minutes. We messed up by going to aviation, then shuttle back to main gate, then boat to Arizona back at Ford Island (only way to access it), then back to main area. Highly recommend timing your day so you do main area stuff together and Ford Island stuff together to get more out of your time if you don’t have a full day to spend. The gift shops are at the main gate, aviation and Bowfin, each has their own items. We didn’t get food but basic concessions are available. There is a strict no bag policy, we paid $7.00 for a locker to store one small purse and a fanny pack. I don’t remember seeing strollers so if traveling with young kids would check that. Distinctly remember infants in worn carriers and toddlers walking without strollers. One woman next to me at bag check was told she could not take in a diaper bag since it’s an active military base, they are not joking about the no bags.Written December 3, 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- 544yum1 contributionBeautiful Hawaii’s sad side… But appreciate for the people for prep this chance of learning where it’s happened with artifacts.Written November 25, 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- parrottdizeDyer, IN2,418 contributionsWe have been to Pearl Harbor before, but unfortunately for us, the dock to the Arizona Memorial was closed for repairs and no one was allowed to go onto the memorial. So on this trip it was our mission to go to the Arizona Memorial.
We booked our excursion through Viator.......they got us our tickets for the Memorial, picked us up at the cruise dock and returned us to the cruise dock. They also drove through Punchbowl Cemetery, which was nice. With Viator, they will text you the morning of your excursion reconfirming your pick-up time or if there was any changes.
The memorial is very moving and is a must see if you are going to Pearl Harbor. All of the names of the men that died on that ship.....I didn't realize that there were so many. There were men that survived, but when they died they had their ashes interned in the ship, so they could be with their shipmates......their names are also there.
Something to remember if you go to Pearl Harbor, no, purses, backpacks, bags, camera cases, fannypacks, etc. Yes, you can take your camera. Just make sure you wear clothing that has pockets so you have someplace to carry your stuff.Written December 1, 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - Ben BateManchester, UK106 contributionsWe really enjoyed our visit here, we found it to be a great layout with great information points at the correct areas which enabled us to be knowledgeable to what we were looking at etc. On top of this we were impressed with the artefacts and historical pieces they had there from the tanks and chopper outside to the cannons and old weapons they had inside. Overall great experience and would recommend when in or around Waikiki.Written November 5, 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Alan CPasadena, MD187 contributionsAnother of the places that provides a key piece to the Hawai'ian history of the 1800s as it transitioned from Kingdom to State. The palace has been lovingly restored with many original pieces. The docent was outstanding in presenting the life and time of Queen Emma and her unfortunate family as well as tying her life into the history and current day of Hawai'i. The grounds themselves while relatively compact are also beautifully maintained.Written October 18, 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Dana QPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, United States69 contributionsOnly downside was wish had more time to explore Pearl Harbor. A few extra tours require you to board a boat to see so did not have time to see those areas. You get super yummy donuts and coffee to start then see some landmarks on the way back to your hotel. I recommend.Written August 22, 2019This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Runi58Chicago, IL22 contributionsThe Japanese Cultural Center was easy to find, there is parking in their lot for a slight fee or plenty of street parking.
FYI, it is located close to Wakiki hotels. They had 2 exhibits, one was free and had a movie which was about the intern ment of the Japanese during WW2, and the other was an exhibit about the ancestry and life of Japanese in Hawaii, there was a fee. This exhibit was very interesting and well done. What was especially nice was that the peaople at the center circulated in the area and answered questions and explained some of the exhibits.Written December 16, 2018This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
