About Us
Bishop Museum was founded in 1889 by Charles Reed Bishop in honor of his late wife, Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, the last descendant of the royal Kamehameha family. The Museum was established to house the extensive collection of Hawaiian objects and royal family heirlooms of the Princess, and has expanded to include millions of objects, documents and photographs about Hawai‘i and other Pacific island cultures.
Mr. Bishop built the magnificent Polynesian and Hawaiian Halls on the grounds of the original Kamehameha Schools for Boys. The Museum and School shared the Kapālama campus until 1940 when a new larger school complex was opened nearby on Kapālama Heights.
Today, Bishop Museum is the largest museum in the state and the premier natural and cultural history institution in the Pacific, recognized throughout the world for its cultural collections, research projects, consulting services and public educational programs. It also has one of the largest natural history specimen collections in the world. Serving and representing the interests of Native Hawaiians is a primary purpose of the Museum.
State Museum of Natural and Cultural History of Hawaiʻi
State Museum of Natural and Cultural History of Hawaiʻi
As the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, we are honored to be designated as the State Museum of Natural and Cultural History of Hawaiʻi, a recognition that underscores our deep commitment to preserving and showcasing the rich heritage of Hawaiʻi and the Pacific region. This esteemed designation, established by Act 398 of the Hawaiʻi State Legislature, affirms our role as a vital repository of artifacts and a center for educational research and cultural exchange. It not only celebrates our past contributions but also sets the path for our future endeavors in serving both our local community and scholars from around the globe. Our mission, guided by this legislative support, continues to inspire us to bring the history and culture of Hawaiʻi to life for all who visit.
Mission: Bishop Museum inspires our community and visitors through the exploration, celebration, and perpetuation of the extraordinary history, culture, and environment of Hawaiʻi and the Pacific.
Strategic Vision: From 2016-2026, the Bishop Museum will champion a decade of strategic transformation, vigorously re-energizing and re-investing in its mission to inspire our community and visitors through the exploration and celebration of the extraordinary history, culture, and environment of Hawaiʻi and the Pacific.
Board Of Directors
Community Volunteer
Professor of Anthropology, University of Hawaii, Manoa
& Professor Emeritus of Anthropology, University of California, Berkeley
Chief Financial Officer,
Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum Accounting Office
CPA and Retired Managing Director
Deloitte & Touche LLP
President & Chief Executive Officer
Vice President and General Counsel,
Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum Legal Office
Executive Assistant,
Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum’s President’s Office
Managing Director
Deloitte & Touche LLP
Chancellor
University of Hawaii – West Oahu
Provost
University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa
Senior Scientist & Cultural Advisor
The Nature Conservancy of Hawaiʻi & Palmyra
Superintendent
Hawai‘i State Department of Education
Chairperson
Hawai‘i State Department of Agriculture
Instructor
Shidler College of Business
Director
Department of Community Services
City and County of Honolulu
BMAC President
Retired
Former Science Professor at Windward Community College
Executive Vice President, Mortgage Banking Division Manager
President
Kualoa Ranch
Founding Partner
Pitluck, Kido & Aipa, LLP
Hui Nohona Manager for Administration
Partners In Development Foundation
Kyo-ya Management Company, Ltd.
Vice President of Real Estate & Development
Retired
Former President, Director and CEO, National Tropical Garden
Director Emeritus
Richard L. Humphreys
Bishop Museum Association Council
The Bishop Museum Association Council (BMAC) is a volunteer group dedicated to supporting membership activities at Bishop Museum. These activities are primarily focused on the growth and retention of membership at the Museum. For example, the BMAC specifically coordinates content for programs like Traditions of the Pacific and science talks. To learn more about the BMAC or how you can get involved, please contact the Membership Department at membership@bishopmuseum.org or 808.847.8296.
Executive Commitee
Nancy Lueck – Chair
Monte McComber – 1st Vice Chair
Pua Sterling – 2nd Vice Chair
Coochie Cayan – Secretary
Jalene Kanani Hitzeman – Treasurer
COUNCIL MEMBERS
Rowena Blaisdell
Mike Buck
Coochie Cayan
Dylan Ching
Marylou Foley
Emily Hawkins
Jalene Kanani Hitzeman
Muffat Jourdane
Kekuewa Kikiloi – new member
Milton Lafitaga – new member
Mahi LaPierre – new member
Nancy Lueck
Monte McComber
Randall Monaghan
Leland Miyano
Martha Noyes – new member
Mia Orr
Toni Han Palermo
Tyler Roukema – new member
Lloyd Kumula’au Sing
Pua Sterling
Kathy Suter
Victoria Wichman
Official Documents and Financial Reports
Be a Part of Our Story
Celebrate the extraordinary history, culture, and environment of Hawaiʻi and the Pacific with a gift to Bishop Museum. As a partner in the Museum’s work, you can help to sustain vital collections, research, and knowledge, and inspire exploration and discovery with a tax-deductible donation.
