Travel Guides Crafted by Experienced Archaeologists & Historians
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Hawaii
Art, History & Archaeology Sites & Museums

A cluster of islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, Hawaii is the youngest state in the U.S., only gaining statehood in 1959. The indigenous Hawaiians are a Polynesian people whose ancestors likely arrived on the islands around 300 AD/CE. European contact was established by the British explorer James Cook in 1778 and ultimately resulted in the transformation of Hawaii into a kingdom led by indigenous monarchs. In 1893, European and European American settlers helped to overthrow Queen Liliuokalani, facilitating Hawaii’s annexation as a U.S. territory in 1900. Further European American settlement in the early 20th century contributed to growing dispossession of the indigenous people, some of whom campaign for its restoration as an independent country.

Archaeology & History Sites in Hawaii

Pearl Harbor National Memorial

In December 1941, the Japanese military attacked the U.S. Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, bringing the U.S. into the Second World War. Several distinct memorials, collectively known as the Pearl Harbor National Memorial, help to commemorate this momentous and tragic event in U.S. history. It includes memorials to the USS Arizona, USS Utah, and USS Oklahoma, all ships lost in the attack. Also part of the park is the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum.

Museums & Art Galleries in Hawaii

© Carol M. Highsmith Archive

Shangri La Museum of Islamic Art, Culture and Design

Housed in the mansion of the tobacco heiress and philanthropist Doris Duke, the Shangri La Museum displays a wealth of artworks from Muslim-dominant countries. Duke amassed the collection during her lifetime, and after her death organised for it to be opened to the public. Among the museum’s artworks are tiles, ceramic vessels, paintings, and carpets, produced across various parts of Africa and Asia. Access is restricted to tours booked in advance.