Bishop Museum

What Bishop Museum does

Bishop Museum (legally Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit designated as the State Museum of Natural and Cultural History of Hawaiʻi, founded in 1889 by Charles Reed Bishop in memory of Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop. The institution operates a 15-acre campus in Honolulu housing more than 25 million objects and specimens across nine disciplines — including over 22 million biological specimens, more than 2 million cultural objects, 115,000 historical publications, and 1 million photographs, films, and manuscripts. It serves over 200,000 visitors annually, including 20,000 K-12 students on school visits and 70,000 planetarium attendees, making it the world's premier institution for Hawaiian and Pacific content by collection scope and scholarly depth.

The museum's core product platform consists of signature galleries (Hawaiian Hall, Pacific Hall, the 16,500 sq ft Richard T. Mamiya Science Adventure Center, the Nā Ulu Kaiwiʻula Native Hawaiian Garden, the Picture Gallery, and the Kāhili Room), the 64-seat J. Watumull Planetarium featuring GOTO Chronos II optical star projection and Digistar 4K full-dome video, and a rotating slate of special exhibitions (Ea Mai ʻEiwa: Patterns of Practice, Aloha Bricks '26, Lele o Nā Manu, Sounds of the Ocean). The 25 million-item collection is a primary scientific and cultural research asset, with ongoing digitization efforts making less than 10% of items currently available online. Educational and community programs include the Education Docent Volunteer Program, the Te Rangi Hīroa Curators and Caretakers Fellowship with cross-institutional mentorship, the annual Science & Sustainability Festival, Museum After Hours evening events, City Nature Challenge bioblitz coordination via iNaturalist, and school field trip programming.

Revenue is generated through a hybrid nonprofit model: one-time museum admission and planetarium ticket sales ($3-25 per program), recurring annual memberships, philanthropic grants and donations (notably a $500,000 Save America's Treasures grant for the plant repository in 2023), facility rentals across eight venue spaces and three conference rooms, partner-operated on-campus retail (Shop Pacifica) and dining (Tūtū's Place by Highway Inn), and publishing through Bishop Museum Press (1,200+ titles, 1M+ books distributed in 72 countries). The museum's distribution is entirely on-site at its Honolulu campus, with digital reach supplemented by the Bloomberg Connects app and a basic AI-assisted "Ask this paper" feature on select publications.

Name

Bishop Museum

Legal name

Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum

Website

https://bishopmuseum.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1889

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Bishop Museum is the State Museum of Natural and Cultural History of Hawaiʻi, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating a 15-acre Honolulu campus housing 25+ million Hawaiian and Pacific cultural and natural history objects, serving 200,000+ annual visitors through signature galleries, a planetarium, and educational programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural and Natural History Museum

NAICS

Museums (71211), Museums (712110)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

History Museums (THAJADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Natural History Museums (THAJADAC), Science & Technology Museums (THAJADAD), Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty) (BPAGAHAA)

Keywords

• Natural history museum
• Cultural heritage museum
• Planetarium shows
• Educational field trips
• Facility rentals events

Headquarters

HQ city

Honolulu

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Museum Admission: Single admission price allows access to all signature galleries; additional fees for planetarium shows and special programs.
2. Membership Program: Annual memberships providing free admission, discounts at shop and cafe, and other benefits.
3. Grants and Donations: Received $500,000 grant for plant repository preservation; operates as 501(c)(3) nonprofit accepting donations, stock donations, IRA rollovers, and planned gifts.
4. Facility Rentals: Museum campus available for private and corporate functions, weddings, cocktail parties, and events across eight venue spaces and three conference rooms.
5. Retail Operations: On-site restaurant (Tūtū's Place by Highway Inn) and gift shop (Shop Pacifica by Nā Mea Hawaiʻi) operated by partners; museum receives revenue from campus traffic.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Bishop Museum operates as the State Museum of Natural and Cultural History of Hawaiʻi, providing visitor access to signature galleries (Hawaiian Hall, Pacific Hall, Science Adventure Center), the 64-seat J. Watumull Planetarium, special exhibitions, and educational programs supported by a 25+ million object collection. The museum generates revenue through admissions, annual memberships, facility rentals, school field trips, planetarium shows, partner-operated retail and dining, and charitable contributions.

Product overview

Bishop Museum is a natural and cultural history museum serving as the State Museum of Natural and Cultural History of Hawaiʻi. The museum operates as a unified platform offering physical visitor experiences (galleries, planetarium, gardens) combined with educational programs and digital initiatives. The core product portfolio includes signature galleries (Hawaiian Hall, Pacific Hall, Science Adventure Center), the J. Watumull Planetarium with ticketed shows, rotating exhibitions, educational programs (docent program, fellowships), and special events (Museum After Hours, Science & Sustainability Festival). Supporting amenities include Tūtū's Place café, Shop Pacifica gift shop, and digital offerings through Bloomberg Connects. The museum's collections exceed 25 million objects across nine disciplines including more than 22 million biological specimens, over 2 million cultural objects, and 115,000 historical publications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• J. Watumull Planetarium: Planetarium facility serving over 70,000 visitors annually with programs about Hawai'i and the Pacific, navigation, astronomy, and natural sciences.
• Richard T. Mamiya Science Adventure Center

Products and services

• General Museum Admission
• J. Watumull Planetarium
• Annual Membership Program
• Facility Rentals
• Education Field Trips
• Science & Sustainability Festival
• Museum After Hours
• Wayfinders: He Waʻa He Moku, He Moku He Waʻa
• Ea Mai ʻEiwa: Patterns of Practice
• Aloha Bricks '26: Stories of Hawaiʻi
• Sounds of the Ocean
• Tūtū's Place by Highway Inn
• Shop Pacifica by Nā Mea Hawaiʻi
• Te Rangi Hīroa Curators and Caretakers Fellowship
• City Nature Challenge
• Living Culture Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Serves 200,000+ visitors annually including 20,000 children on school visits
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and major.

• HawaiiKidsCANminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 12 January 2026Co-hosting free Hawaii School Expo at Bishop Museum on January 25, 2026, connecting families with over 35 public, charter, and private schools during National School Choice Week
• National School Choice Awareness FoundationminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 12 January 2026Co-hosting Hawaii School Expo at Bishop Museum during National School Choice Week
• British MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 April 2024Te Rangi Hīroa Fellowship provides fellows access to mentorship from colleagues at partner museums including the British Museum
• Te Papa (Museum of New Zealand)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFellows in the Te Rangi Hīroa Fellowship have access to mentorship from colleagues at Te Papa
• Metropolitan Museum of ArtcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFellows in the Te Rangi Hīroa Fellowship have access to mentorship from colleagues at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
• Hawaiian AirlinesmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor of May Day 2026 Lei Day celebration and supporter of Ea Mai ʻEiwa exhibition
• First Hawaiian BankmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupport of Ea Mai ʻEiwa exhibition showcasing Hawaiian cultural heritage
• Arizona State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of Mālama Maʻawe Iho: Fibers in Focus symposium and collaborator on Wayfinders exhibit interactive elements
• University of Hawaiʻi at MānoacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in annual symposium and collaboration on cultural and scientific research initiatives
• MatsonmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate supporter of Ea Mai ʻEiwa exhibition celebrating Hawaiian cultural heritage
• Polynesian Voyaging SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with Bishop Museum to produce Wayfinders: Waves, Winds, and Stars planetarium show; Museum planetarium instrumental in recovery of traditional navigation knowledge
• Highway InnmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOperates Tūtū's Place restaurant on Bishop Museum campus, serving Hawaiian cuisine to visitors
• Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Science & Sustainability Festival programming including Coastal Kuleana panels and City Nature Challenge
• San Diego Zoo Wildlife AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBishop Museum is a pilot site in their global network of biobanks supporting biodiversity conservation

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Field Museum: Chicago-based natural history institution with comparable biological specimen scale, permanent galleries, research staff, and signature exhibitions. Notably, Bishop Museum trademarks are referenced as registered to The Field Museum in their Terms of Use, indicating a historical administrative relationship.
• Te Papa Tongarewa (Museum of New Zealand): New Zealand's national museum and a direct Pacific-region peer, sharing a mandate to preserve indigenous cultural heritage alongside natural history collections. Te Papa is also a formal Te Rangi Hīroa Fellowship partner of Bishop Museum.
• Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History: The U.S. federal natural history museum, with similarly vast specimen holdings, scientific research output, and signature public galleries that directly mirror Bishop Museum's collection-and-exhibition model.
• California Academy of Sciences: San Francisco-based natural history museum with a planetarium, aquarium, and research institute. Its combination of immersive science experiences, large biological collection, and educational programming parallels Bishop Museum's Science Adventure Center and J. Watumull Planetarium model.
• Queensland Museum: Australian state museum with overlapping Pacific and natural history collections, indigenous cultural programming, and a research-driven operating model that closely mirrors Bishop Museum's mandate.
• American Museum of Natural History: A flagship natural history museum in New York City with comparable focus on biological, cultural, and geological collections, plus a long-running research and exhibition program analogous to Bishop Museum's nine-discipline collection.
• Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History: A university-affiliated natural history museum with comparable zoological, botanical, and anthropological collections and a strong research and exhibition program analogous to Bishop Museum's nine-discipline holdings.

Regional players

• Polynesian Cultural Center: Oʻahu-based Pacific cultural attraction offering interactive experiences across Polynesian cultures. It competes for the same cultural-tourism audience and school-group visits that Bishop Museum serves in Honolulu.
• ʻIolani Palace: The official royal palace of the Hawaiian monarchy, a regional heritage attraction with significant overlap to Bishop Museum's Hawaiian Hall and Kāhili Room exhibits around aliʻi history and the Kamehameha/Bishop lineage.
• Honolulu Museum of Art: Honolulu's primary art museum, the closest geographic peer. While Bishop Museum emphasizes natural and cultural history and Honolulu Museum of Art focuses on fine art, both compete for the same local resident and tourist visitation in Honolulu.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/bishopmuseum
• Facebookfacebook.com/bishopmuseum
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bishop-museum
• Instagraminstagram.com/bishopmuseum/?hl=en
• Xx.com/bishopmuseum

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bishop Museum