Spotlight Programs

Pau: The Last Song of the Kauaʻi ‘Ō‘ō (J. Watumull Planetarium)
5:30 pm, 6:15 pm , 7:00 pm (ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi) & 7:45 pm
Millions of years ago, the island of Kaua‘i began to bloom with life, color and sound, including the song of the Kauaʻi ‘ō‘ō. As human impact increased, the Kaua‘i ‘ō‘ō population dwindled, and in time, only a single Kaua‘i ‘ō‘ō was singing, and inevitably, a day came when there were none: pau. Authored and illustrated by Tony Piedra and Mackenzie Joy, Pau: The Last Song of the Kauaʻi ‘Ōʻō, this story is shared to inspire keiki worldwide to understand, protect, and defend our planet’s biodiversity.

Join us in honoring and celebrating the life and legacy of the Kaua‘i ‘ō‘ō through this powerful presentation featuring the authors voicing their moving story as their stunning illustrations are projected onto our planetarium dome. Following each show, Tony and Mackenzie will be joined by Julia Diegmann of the Kaua‘i Forest Bird Recovery Project (KFBRP) for a Q&A session, offering deeper insights into the story and the ongoing efforts to protect Hawaiʻi forest birds.

Planetarium seating is limited. Guests are encouraged to reserve a showtime by picking up a planetarium show ticket, at no additional cost, from our Hoʻokipa Desk.

Please note that the 7:00 pm showing will be presented in ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i by Jodi Ascuena, original translator of Pau: The Last Song of the Kauaʻi ‘Ō‘ō, with English captions.

Honolulu Theatre for Youth’s Forest Flutters: A Bird-Day Party (Gallery Lawn Stage)
6:00 pm
Created by Danica Rosengren and the HTY Ensemble, Forest Flutters: A Bird-Day Party is an exploration of the forest through smells, touch, movement, and music. Keiki will use all of their senses when they explore the forests of Hawaiʻi and meet native forest birds. Listen to the symphony of native birds who inhabited our islands long before humans arrived.

Meet Molly Hagemann, Bishop Museum Vertebrate Zoology Collection Manager (Science Adventure Center)
6:00 pm, 7:00 pm & 8:00 pm
Join Molly as she shares insights into Lele o Nā Manu: The Splendor and Loss of Hawaiʻi’s Birds and the story of the Kauaʻi ʻōʻō with specimens from our collections.

Featured Makahiki o Nā Manu Nahele Partner Organizations (Great Lawn)
5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Kauaʻi Forest Bird Recovery Project
Kamehameha Schools

Explore Mau ka Leo, Bishop Museum’s digital storytelling space (Gallery Lawns)
5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Members of our Informatics team showcase Mau ka Leo, a digital storytelling space created by the Bishop Museum to capture and share the knowledge and stories surrounding its collections. Adding to their growing collection of stories relating to manu of Hawaiʻi, Mau ka Leo’s 200th post shares stories of the ʻiʻiwi, ʻapapane, Hawaiʻi mamo, kiwikiu and palila.

He Wehi Hulu Kupuna a featherwork-focused tour of Hawaiian Hall
6:00 pm & 8:00 pm
Immerse yourself in the beauty and history of Hawaiian Hall on a special tour, highlighting the presence and power of Hawaiian featherwork. Meet at the staircase in Hawaiian Hall’s front entry tower.

Corned Beef & Kalo Gallery Talk featuring Makahiapo Cashman (J.M. Long Gallery)
7:00 p.m.
To kick off the closing weekend of Corned Beef & Kalo, join Makahiapo Cashman, Director of Ka Papa Loʻi ʻo Kānewai, and Healoha Johnston, Bishop Museum’s Director of Cultural Resources, as they discuss how the moʻolelo of Hāloa inspires contemporary art and helps us navigate current issues of agricultural subsistence and environmental sustainability.

Live Music featuring Baron Kaholokula (Gallery Lawn Stage)
7:00 pm

Climate Champions Showcase (Great Lawn)
5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Meet Oʻahu Climate Champions and the partner organizations leading the charge to prepare for the impacts of climate change. The Climate Champions Program pairs community-based organizations with a Climate Champion Intern who will implement a project that will help the organization adapt to climate change’s impacts. This program was created in response to perspectives shared during the community engagement process for the City’s climate adaptation strategy called “Climate Ready Oʻahu.” It is jointly hosted by the six community-based organizations listed below and the City and County of Honolulu’s Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency. See below for a list of partner organizations with details on their Climate Champions’ project.