The island’s largest museum is set in two buildings – one of which was built with lava rock in 1960. Come here for a quick grounding in Kauaʻi’s history and ecology, and in Hawaiian history and culture in general. A smattering of Asian art is also on display. Packed with local anecdotes, the free guided tour is well worth it.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Lihuʻe Lutheran Church

0.5 MILES

Hawaii’s oldest Lutheran church is a quaint clapboard house, with an incongruously slanted floor that resembles a ship’s deck and a balcony akin to a…

2. Grove Farm

0.63 MILES

Once ranked among Kauaʻi's most productive sugar companies, Grove Farm was acquired in 1864 by George Wilcox, the Hilo-born son of Protestant missionaries…

3. Kauaʻi Society of Artists

0.82 MILES

Island artists share gallery space at the mall and exhibit thoughtful works in oils, pencil, watercolor, sculpture materials, mixed media and photography…

4. Kilohana Plantation

1.47 MILES

If you’re curious about how Kauaʻi’s powerful sugar barons lived, visit this historic plantation estate turned shopping complex, which also hosts a luau…

5. Kalapaki Beach

1.56 MILES

This sandy beach and sheltered bay is tucked between a marina and the mountains. It's overlooked by the Marriott resort, which faces the bay, and by an…

7. Alekoko (Menehune) Fishpond Overlook

1.82 MILES

This roadside overlook offers an oft-photographed vista of the Huleʻia Valley, where the Huleʻia River winds beneath a ring of verdant peaks. The river is…