This is an old fashioned museum but its certainly worth a stop. My 20 year old young adult found enough to keep him interested so given there is nothing modern or interactive that's saying a lot. There's tons of parking so its certainly worth a stop.

It is 2 buildings and relatively small. We went on a rainy day so it was crowded. $15 entrance fee per person. Lighting is not good, but a very good preservation and explanation of the island's history. I'd go again when it wasn't crowded.

We spent a couple of hours on a rainy day. There is a lot to see here in a relatively small space. But you will learn a lot. Like how native Hawaiians make the spectacular feather helmets and capes you often see on the ranking rulers in old photos. And how King Kamehameha I tried a few times to invade Kauai from Oahu but failed every time, but then won in the end when the leader of Kauai decided to join the Hawaiian kingdom to avoid another invasion attempt. And the koa bowl collection is spectacular. Walls are literally COVERED with information to read. Staff is VERY courteous.

This trip to the museum was really interesting. Leave yourself about 2 hours. Good thing to do on the way to the airport. We first had a guided tour regarding the first people to settle on Kauai. Very interesting about the way people lived and the Hawaiian royal family. The second part of the museum tour was more about the modern day. The museum does not have a lot of space but they managed to squeeze quite a bit of information into it. This included the section on surfing and all of the immigrant cultures. This is worthwhile to see if you like museums.

While this museum isn’t overly large, you could easily spend a couple hours viewing their various displays. There’s a wide assortment of historical displays and artifacts, which are pretty well organized into different sections. They cover a lot of topics and material from the Hawaiian royal lines to modern surfing and movies. It was interesting to learn more about the island and its history, which provided deeper insight and respect for our other experiences during our stay on the island. Admission was reasonably priced ($15 per person at the time of our visit). They offer guided tours at no additional cost, but they are only offered a few times during the week. During our visit, we just did the standard self-guided tour.

This museum is rich in Kauai Island history and is definitely worth a visit. It is located in Lihue and has plenty of parking in the back. You can take a little or a lot of time taking in the many artifacts, paintings and history of the ancient inhabitants of Kauai.

Cute little museum loaded with history. 1-2hrs to get through. The $15 entrance fee is good for 7 days so you can return. The small gift shop has great prices on items like local coffee, handbags, clothing, books etc. cheaper than many shops I’ve seen so far. Quick stop for gifts before you grab your flight home! Airport just mins away.

A small but jam-packed (in the best way) museum that surveys Kauai’s history in an accessible way. If you’re visiting and then want to learn more about the island, this is a great way to do it. The guided tour is a standout, but the museum is well worth a visit even if you’re on your own.

I love local museums because they are created with passion and love of their subject. This museum is all that. We missed the guided tour so did it self guided. We learned so much about the local area, the history of Kauai, and the story of its people. Next year I’m going back to get the guided tour because that would really help keep people and events in a logical sequence. This place is excellent - highly recommend. The gift shop is lovely too!