About Hawaiian Mission Houses
Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site and Archives (HMH), an active site for Hawaii’s history since 1820, is a National Historic Landmark (listed in 1965) and accredited by the American Alliance of Museums (last re-accredited in 2010). HMH graces a one-acre site in the Historic Capital district in downtown Honolulu. HMH preserves Hawai‘i’s oldest Western-style house, the 1821 Mission House, as well as the 1831 Chamberlain House, the 1841 Bedroom Annex, a cemetery, a collections storage vault, a gift shop, and multi-purpose space. The library, which holds both English and Hawaiian archival material, welcomes researchers on site as well as from around the globe through the digital collection. A coral-and-grass performance arena was added in 2011, hosting theater and mele (music) performances throughout the year, and a reconstructed hale pili, built using cultural practitioner leadership and designed with sources from journals in the HMH archives, was added in 2021. HMH offers school field trips, tours, historical theater performances and has been awarded over 15 Po‘okela Awards for Excellence in theatrical performance, writing, and direction. The HMH library and historical archive holds over 80,000 digital pieces and is home to one of the largest collections of Hawaiian language printed material in the world.
Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site and Archives enriches our community by fostering thoughtful dialogue and greater understanding of the missionary role and impact on the history of Hawai`i.
The mission of the Hawaiian Mission Houses is to interpret the legacy and to promote an open dialogue around the impact of the Protestant missionaries and their interwoven relationships with the people of Hawai’i.
Collaboration between Native Hawaiians and the American Protestant missionaries resulted in, among other things, the introduction of Christianity, the development of a written Hawaiian language and establishment of schools that resulted in widespread literacy, the promulgation of the concept of constitutional government, the combination of Hawaiian with Western medicine, and the evolution of a new and distinctive musical tradition with harmony and choral singing.
Read the latest press releases here:
(2024)
November:
- Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site and Archives invites you to shop at our annual Holiday Craft Fair – READ HERE
- Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site and Archives unveils our new Chemberlain Houses exhibit – READ HERE
October:
- Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site and Archives returns with our Archives & Inquiry series – READ HERE
September:
- Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site and Archives returns with our Mele series – READ HERE
- Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site and Archives, in partnership with Hawaiian Historical Society, announces the return of our Archives Uncorked series – READ HERE
August:
- Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site and Archives returns with our annual ʻOhana Day – READ HERE
- Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site and Archives announces the return of our annual Huakaʻi Gala Fundraiser – READ HERE
July:
- Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site and Archives is seeking new volunteer docents – READ HERE
- Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site and Archives announces the next installment of the Archives and Inquiry Virtual Speaker Series: “Leviathan’s Families: The History of Humans and Whales in the Pacific”, Dr. Ryan Tucker Jones of the University of Oregon – READ HERE
- Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site and Archives in partnership with Hawaii Shakespeare Festival 2024 – READ HERE
June:
- Hawaiian Mission Houses announces the return of our annual Cemetery Pupu Theatre Program: “How Sweet It Is” – READ HERE
- Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site and Archives welcomes Phil Acosta as new Executive Director, and other new staff members – READ HERE
May:
- Hawaiian Mission Houses announces the return of our Mele Program: “I Ke Kuapaʻi o Kahu William Ellis” – “In the Footsteps of Rev. William Ellis” – READ HERE
April:
- Hawaiin Mission Houses honors our Partner in Change: “Leah Laramee, Hawai’i Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Coordinator, and Skye Kolealani Razon-Olds, Community Organizer, Cultural Resource Advocate, Community Council Member, Climber, and Digital Storyteller, as “Partners in Change”.” – READ HERE
- Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site and Archives announces the next installment of the Archives and Inquiry Virtual Speaker Series: “Women in
Power: Polynesian Political Leadership in the 19th Century” with author of “When Women Ruled the Pacific: Power and Politics in the Nineteenth Century Tahita and Hawaiʻi”, Dr. Joy Schulz. – READ HERE
- Hawaiian Mission Houses will host a special presentation of History Theater: Rediscovering History – READ HERE
February:
- Hawaiian Mission Houses in partnership with Hawaiian Historical Society presents Archives Uncorked: Hoʻoulu Lāhui – READ HERE
Click Here for our 2024 Fact Sheet and Program Calendar