Bishop Museum's Hawaiian Hall Ready To Reopen

HONOLULU -- The Bishop Museum is preparing to unveil the renovations of historic Hawaiian Hall that will show off new world-class exhibits.

Hawaiian Hall is itself an important part of Hawaii's heritage. It is undergoing its first renovation in a century. The hall has been closed to the public for two years.

Renowned museum designer Ralph Appelbaum is overseeing the restoration. He said Bishop Museum has a world famous collection of Hawaiian artifacts, but many could not be displayed because Hawaiian Hall didn't have proper climate and environmental controls. That will soon change.

"To have it filled with a priceless treasure of objects interpreted by Hawaiian people and communities themselves is a real special opportunity," Appelbaum said.

"For the first time Hawaiian hall is just about Hawaiians. For the first time it is from a Hawaiian cultural perspective for the first time involved in native Hawaiian voice, story telling, mele, chants so all of these are a first for us," said Noelle Kahanu of the Bishop Museum.

The new displays will show stories of Hawaiian history, why they made things, what they believed.

"And that's a window into the past that's a true gift to us all," Kahanu said.

Hawaiian Hall is scheduled to reopen for the public in mid 2009.