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| Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawaii | |
|---|---|
| Name | Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawaii |
| Established | 2006 |
| Location | Hilo, Hawaiʻi |
| Type | Museum and planetarium |
Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawaii is a science and cultural center located in Hilo on the island of Hawaiʻi that connects Hawaiian culture and astronomy through exhibits, planetarium shows, and educational programs. The center interprets Native Hawaiian navigation, observational astronomy, and modern astrophysics while collaborating with local institutions, observatories, and international research projects.
The center opened in 2006 following collaborations among the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, and community leaders influenced by revitalization efforts associated with the ʻAina Momona movement and the broader Hawaiian Renaissance; planning involved advisors affiliated with Bishop Museum, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Hawaiʻi State Department of Education, and representatives from the Mauna Kea Observatories community. Fundraising and design were supported by foundations such as the Kamehameha Schools, the Parker Ranch Foundation, and private donors associated with families like Samuel Mills Damon descendants and patrons connected to the Prince Kūhiō legacy. Opening ceremonies included participation from leaders tied to the Hawaiian sovereignty movement, cultural practitioners referenced in media coverage by outlets such as the Honolulu Advertiser and the Hawaiian Gazette. Over the next decade the center expanded partnerships with scientific organizations including the Institute for Astronomy, the International Astronomical Union, and project teams from NASA, European Southern Observatory, and the National Science Foundation.
The facility was designed by architects who integrated references to traditional Hawaiian architecture and modern museum standards, engaging firms with prior projects linked to Bishop Museum exhibits and campus planning for the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa; structural elements evoke the canoe houses similar to those represented in collections at Polynesian Cultural Center and Te Papa Tongarewa. The site includes a 3,500-square-foot exhibition hall, an immersive planetarium dome produced by vendors associated with projects at Hayden Planetarium and Griffith Observatory, and classrooms used by programs linked to the Hawaiʻi Community College and the Hawaiʻi Space Grant Consortium. Support facilities accommodate visiting research teams from the W. M. Keck Observatory, the Subaru Telescope, and technicians coordinating with instrumentation groups connected to Gemini Observatory and National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory.
Permanent exhibits explore navigational techniques used by figures such as Kamehameha I, voyaging traditions preserved in artifacts associated with Nainoa Thompson and the Hōkūleʻa voyage, and astronomical narratives referencing discoveries by astronomers tied to Mauna Kea Observatories, Clyde Tombaugh, and telescopes involved in discoveries like Kepler-186f. Interactive displays highlight comparative cosmologies that reference collections or scholarship from Bishop Museum, ethnographic research by scholars linked to Bernice Pauahi Bishop, and oral histories preserved through the Hawaiian Language Revitalization movement. The planetarium presents shows co-produced with partners including NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, European Space Agency, SETI Institute, and production studios that have worked with Smithsonian Institution exhibitions. Temporary exhibitions have featured artifacts loaned from institutions such as Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, objects curated in collaboration with the Pacific Islands Museums Association, and outreach programs coordinated with groups like Girl Scouts of America and the Boy Scouts of America.
The center’s mission emphasizes cultural bridging between practitioners like master navigators associated with the Polynesian Voyaging Society and scientists from organizations including the Institute for Astronomy and NASA researchers. Educational initiatives serve students connected to the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education, undergraduate programs at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, and continuing education activities coordinated with National Endowment for the Humanities grants and community learning programs administered through the Kamehameha Schools network. Cultural protocols are observed in consultations with kupuna and organizations such as the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Hawaiian cultural practitioners referenced in the Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation, and stewards associated with the Mauna Kea Stewardship Cultural Working Group.
Research collaborations link the center to observational programs on Mauna Kea and with instrument teams from W. M. Keck Observatory, Subaru Telescope, Gemini Observatory, and theoretical groups at the University of Hawaiʻi System. Projects have engaged international consortia like the Event Horizon Telescope, the Square Kilometre Array planning committees, and survey collaborations akin to Pan-STARRS and Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Partnerships support internships and fellowships funded through entities such as the National Science Foundation, the NASA Astrophysics Division, and regional initiatives coordinated with Pacific Islands Forum education efforts.
The center is located in Hilo, on the island of Hawaiʻi (island), near cultural sites such as Liliʻuokalani Park and Gardens and institutions like the Pacific Tsunami Museum; visitor access is served by routes connecting to the Hawaii Belt Road and parking areas near campus facilities of the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. Hours, admission, and program schedules are announced through community calendars comparable to listings in the Hawaii Tribune-Herald and tourist information distributed by the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority; on-site accessibility and guided tours are arranged in coordination with educators from the Hawaiʻi State Public Library System and volunteer docents associated with the Friends of Imiloa community group.
Category:Museums in Hawaii Category:Planetaria