The island of Oʻahu is home to a vibrant arts scene, with a mix of museums, exhibitions, art galleries and attractions both on campus and off campus.
On the UH Mānoa campus are two galleries: The University of Hawaiʻi Art Gallery features contemporary exhibitions on thematic exhibitions of historically significant works, while the Commons Gallery generally presents exhibitions from two to four weeks in length. Also on campus is the eponymous John Young Museum of Art, with a collection of artworks from Asia, Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands and Africa, and pieces bequeathed to the University by the late community-minded artist.
In town are the Hawaiʻi State Art Museum and Honolulu Museum of Art, with work from the 19th and 20th centuries, alongside collections of breathtaking traditional Hawaiian handicrafts. At the Bishop Museum, learn about history and culture through millions of artifacts, documents and photographs of Hawaiʻi and other Polynesian cultures. Iolani Palace, the only royal palace in the U.S., served as the official residence and capitol of the last ruling monarchs of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi.
Take a leisurely stroll through the nearby trendy neighborhood of Kakaʻako to witness an explosion of urban art. Global artists, using the exteriors of buildings as giant canvases, have turned the community into a living gallery of colorful murals. Or take a drive to other cultural attractions, including the Pearl Harbor National Museum, Polynesian Cultural Center and Shangri La Museum of Islamic Arts, Culture and Design.