Bishop Museum Honors Charles Reed Bishop With Free Admission
In celebration of the birthday anniversary of its founder, Bishop Museum is offering FREE admission on Sunday, January 25th. A native of Glens Falls, New York, Charles Reed Bishop was born on January 25, 1822 and passed away in 1915. He came to Hawai‘i in 1846 at the age of 24, where he fell in love with and wed Princess Bernice Pauahi Pāki. Princess Pauahi was the great-granddaughter of King Kamehameha I and was the last surviving descendant of the king’s royal line.
During his time in Hawai‘i, Mr. Bishop was a consultant and Privy Councilor to five generations of Hawaiian monarchs from 1859 to 1892; a legislator and government official of the Kingdom of Hawaii; and one of Hawaii's greatest philanthropists. He was one of the first trustees of and largest donors to the Kamehameha Schools and was the founder of First Hawaiian bank. Following the passing of the Princess, Mr. Bishop founded the Museum in her honor to care for her possessions and the other ali‘i treasures.
“Charles Reed Bishop played a significant role in Hawai‘i’s history,” said President & CEO Tim Johns. “Visitors to the Museum will continue to learn about the rich and storied past of Hawai‘i from the personal collections of Pauahi to the vast collections that show the progress of the Hawaiian people.”
In celebration of Mr. Bishop’s birthday anniversary, Bishop Museum will be dedicating the newly renovated Founder's Alcove in Castle Memorial Hall, which will focus on the story of Charles Reed Bishop and Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop.
Bishop Museum’s mission is to study, preserve, and tell the stories of the natural and cultural history of Hawai‘i and the Pacific. It is designated as the State Museum of Natural and Cultural History. With more than 24 million catalogued objects, Bishop Museum’s collection ranks fourth in the United States and is among the top ten in the world.
Bishop Museum’s Hawaiian Hall will reopen to the public in August 2009. The restored Hall will feature access to the Museum’s incomparable collection of Hawaiian and Pacific area artifacts, the largest in the world. In the meantime, A Legacy for Hawai‘i exhibit provides an opportunity to see valued treasures of Princess Bernice Pauahi and others associated with the Hawaiian monarch. It includes striking examples of Hawaiian mastery.
Also on exhibit: ‘Ili Iho: The Surface Within, in the J.M. Long Gallery, which features eight contemporary Hawaiian artists who based their works on four textile treasures: a magnificent feathered cloak, a fine makaloa mat, intricate kapa, and a beautiful protest quilt.
Museum hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily. It is closed on Christmas Day. To learn more about Bishop Museum’s exhibits, programs, and activities, please visit www.bishopmuseum.org or call (808) 847-3511.
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