Hawaii State Art Museum - Honolulu, Hawaii - Historic Setting for Free Art Exhibits

Located on South Hotel Street across from the State Capitol Building in downtown Honolulu, the Hawaii State Art Museum (HiSAM) opened in 2002 as the newest addition to Oahu's thriving arts scene. It is operated as a "People's Museum'' under the direction of the Hawaii State Foundation on Culture and the Arts (HSFCA), and admission is free of charge at all times.

Occupying the entire second floor of the No. 1 Capitol District Building are HiSAM's three galleries: the Diamond Head Gallery, the Ewa Gallery, and the Sculpture Gallery. Frequently changes ensure that the displays are always fresh. Even the ongoing exhibits are modified regularly.

Recent attractions have included the paintings of Diego Rivera, Kenneth Bushnell, and Laura Smith, to name but a few. Art by local residents is frequently displayed, such as the works of Reiko Brandon, Charles Higa and Jerry Okimoto, along with the ceramics of Toshiko Takaezu. The interactive "I Love Art Galley'' in the Diamond Head encourages observing, touching, exploring, thinking, and reading the way that artists do.

HiSAM features a 70-seat, multi-purpose museum space that can be used for orientations, education, special events, and public programs. The galleries of the museum are open from 10pm to 4pm, Tuesday through Saturday, and closed Sundays, Mondays, and state and federal holidays. From 5pm to 9pm on First Fridays, the museum is open as part of the downtown area's monthly Gallery Walk.

The building which houses HiSAM and the offices of the HSFCA has a fascinating history of its own. It opened in 1872 as the Hawaiian Hotel, served as the Army-Navy YMCA during World War I, and was added to the National Register of Historic Properties in 1978.

Located on the first floor of the museum building is a restaurant known as Downtown @ HiSAM, open for lunch 11am to 2pm Monday through Saturday. Proprietor Ed Kenney owns of the Town restaurant in Kaimuki, and he takes pride in preparing menus items with locally grown and organic ingredients.

Meals are served deli-style, with takeout available as well as casual in-house dining and al fresco seating on the lanai. On First Fridays, the restaurant opens from 5pm to 9pm for dinner. Reservations are recommended; bookings for private functions are possible; and the addition of a full bar is in the planning stages. Other than the restaurant, facilities which may be rented here for special events and parties include the front lawn and the second-floor courtyard, with catering available.

Adjacent to the restaurant is a gift shop known as Shop @ HiSAM. Under the management of the Friends of HiSAM and operated by Na Mea Hawaii, it is open Tuesday through Saturday, from 10:30am to 3:30pm, and on First Fridays from 6pm till 9pm. The Shop offers Hawaiian-made gifts, estate-grown Kona coffees, original art by locals, whimsical jewelry, batik items, and more. Friends of HiSAM receive a 10 percent discount on their purchases.

To protect the museum's art treasures, certain rules apply when visiting. Backpacks, large bags and umbrellas must be checked-in at the security desk. No smoking, food or drink is allowed inside. Use of cellular phones and pagers is not permitted, nor are pets allowed, other than trained assistance animals. Flash photography is not permitted, either.

Guided tours for groups of up to a dozen persons can be arranged upon request. Although parking is not available on the premises, visitors may use the commercial parking garages or metered on-street parking lots nearby. HiSAM can also be reached via public transportation, either the Waikiki Trolley (Red Line) or The Bus (Capitol Stop).