Hawaiian Hall Windows To Be Permanently Shut
Media Invited To Exclusive Event

The grand windows of Hawaiian Hall will be open for one last time exclusively for the media to capture on Monday, January 26, 2009 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.  This is a one-time-only event as instillation of Hawaiian artifacts gets underway.  This will give media the opportunity to view the hall in natural lighting.

What:  Exclusive Hawaiian Hall Window Event

When:  Monday, January 26th 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Why:  To document the historic hall in its natural light before its windows are permanently shut.

Available for interviews:

• Betty Lou Kam.  Bishop Museum Vice President of Cultural Resources.  Aside from overseeing the Museum’s cultural collections, Mrs. Kam is part of the Hawaiian Hall Committee working on the overall concept of the restored Hawaiian Hall.
• Glenn Mason, AIA.  Mr. Mason is the president of Mason Architects, a Honolulu-based Architectural Firm that worked on the renovation of Hawaiian Hall.  

About Hawaiian Hall:

In 1889, Charles Reed Bishop founded the Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum in honor of his beloved wife who had passed away in 1884. The Hall was built to house Princess Pauahi’s personal collections.  For over a century, Hawaiian Hall has housed the Museum’s most sacred artifacts many which include ali’i possessions. Today it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is one of Hawai‘i’s most iconic buildings.

The Hall complex was built between 1887 and 1903; the great stone building was at the forefront of Victorian museum design.  Its high windows provided welcome draft and its skylights brought in natural light.  In order to restore years of deterioration to the Hall, it was closed in 2006 to undergo major renovation.  Mason Architects renovated the historic structure to restore its original grandeur.  The building is now air conditioned and meets modern conservation and accessibility standards.  The restoration of the Hall is a testament to the commitment to tell the stories of Hawai‘i and its founders. 

Hawaiian Hall is scheduled to reopen in August 2009.  For more information about the Hall, please visit www.bishopmuseum.org.

-pau-