A&B Foundation Contributes $50,000 to Bishop MuseumHawaiian Hall Restoration Moving Forward
The Alexander & Baldwin Foundation has pledged a capital grant in the amount of $50,000 towards Bishop Museum ’s Hawaiian Hall Restoration Project, according to Meredith Ching, president of Alexander & Baldwin Foundation.
“A&B appreciates the important role the Bishop Museum plays in this community and we are pleased to help ensure that it remains a valuable resource for both residents and visitors in years to come,” says Ching. “We are particularly happy to know that our funding will help the museum to display more if its magnificent collection of Hawaiian treasures, in a setting that pays tribute to Hawaii and her people.”
The grant will be used to help restore the beautiful historic cases made from native Koa, which have housed the artifacts in Hawaiian Hall for more than 100 years. These original cases are being repaired and refinished, one by one, and will contain a wide variety of cultural artifacts, from fish hooks to adzes, to lei niho palaoa.
The Alexander & Baldwin Foundation is funded by the business activities of Alexander & Baldwin, Inc., and its subsidiaries. These subsidiaries include A&B Properties, Inc., Matson Navigation Company, Hawaiian Commercial and Sugar (HC&S)/Maui Brand Sugar, and Kaua‘i Coffee Company.
The Hawaiian Hall Restoration Project began in June 2006 and is expected to take more than 2 years to complete. The $21 million renovation is the first major renovation of the iconic building in more than 100 years. Ralph Appelbaum Associates, a world-renowned museum planning and design firm whose credits include the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, the Heard Museum , and the American Museum of Natural History, are spearheading the reinstallation team. Cultural advisors and Museum staff are ensuring that Native Hawaiian voices and perspectives will be heard throughout the Hall so that visitors will gain deeper insights into the Hawaiian culture as they move through the new interactive displays.
For more information about Bishop Museum ’s Hawaiian Hall Restoration Project, call (808) 847-3511 or visit www.bishopmuseum.org. For more information about A&B Foundation, visit www.alexanderbaldwinfoundation.orr.
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