Lyman House Memorial Museum

The Lyman House Memorial Museum began as the Lyman Mission House in 1839. The house was built originally for David and Sarah Lyman who were missionaries; the museum was established by the descendents and now offers daily guided tours.

The museum houses many artifacts, fine art pieces, natural history exhibits along with special exhibits and a gift shop. Visitors to the house will see the house and life as it was over 150 years ago. There are also many aspects of the natural history and culture of Hawaii.

The house is the oldest standing wood structure in Hawaii and was built for the Lyman family along with housing several notable guests such as Mark Twain and Isabella Bird. Visitors will be able to view the furniture, tools, household items and other artifacts that were used by the family and other missionary families.

Lyman House Memorial Museum is listed on the State and National Registers of Historic Places and is also affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution. Docent-led tours of the house will show what it meant to live in a home without electricity of running water and show how the Lyman's brought Christianity and Western-Style education to the people of Hawaii. The Lymans also built The Hilo Boarding School which was a school for young Hawaiian men.