Our Mission

The Kona Historical Society will preserve the history of Kona
to enrich, inspire, and inform our community and visitors.

We do this through collecting, preserving, researching, interpreting,
and disseminating the history of Kona.

BECOME A MEMBER

Membership is one of the best ways you can support the Kona Historical Society’s mission of collecting, preserving, and sharing Kona’s stories and unique sense of place. Kona Historical Society’s members are a thriving community of friends, families, visitors, and neighbors who enjoy taking part in Kona’s colorful history and rich culture.

Become a member today!

MAKE A DONATION

We rely on support from donors like you to help us serve our mission of collecting, preserving, and sharing Kona’s stories. Your contributions help us to realize our goals to present unique educational programs, exhibitions and special events to the public.

Make a donation today!

VISIT THE ARCHIVE

What started with a handful of images in 1978 has grown to a sizeable archive of records that tell the stories of post-contact life in Kona. From coffee farming, ranching, and the family-run stores that once lined Mamalahoa Highway to the experience of everyday life of the various ethnic communities on our island, our collections are a great way to journey through Kona’s rich history.

Schedule an appointment here!

ENJOY OUR PROGRAMS

Learn more about our programs here!

The Kona Beekeeping Legacy Project Exhibition

The Kona Beekeeping Legacy Project is a vibrant multimedia initiative that documents and celebrates the vital beekeeping industry on Hawai'i Island.

Open Tuesday - Friday, 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM

The Kona Beekeeping Legacy Project Exhibition

Purchase Tickets Here

Our Mission:

ENRICH · INSPIRE · INFORM

The Kona Historical Society will preserve the history of Kona to enrich, inspire, and inform our community and visitors. We will do this through collecting, preserving, researching, interpreting, and disseminating the history of Kona.

Join us for the first Off-Road Huaka’i (formerly “Jeep Trips”) of 2025 to Kealapu’ali to enjoy the one-woman performance of Isabella Bird: The Hawai’i Sojourn. Limited tickets available.

The Kona Beekeeper Legacy Project

Open Tuesday - Friday

10:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Starting in May, open on Saturdays!

The Kona Historical Society relies on support from donors like you to help us serve our mission

Join Today!

FROM THE LIPS OF ONE GENERATION…

…TO THE EARS OF THE NEXT

Our Programs

The Kona Historical Society fulfills our mission to collect, preserve, and share Kona’s stories and unique sense of place through our many programs, both online and in-person. Many of these programs are free to visitors and students, thanks to our thriving community of members. Membership is one of the best ways you can support the Kona Historical Society and bring the history of Kona alive for more people.

Join Kona Historical Society

Collections

Our rich archives help tell the stories of Kona’s past through collections of historical photographs, unpublished diaries, journals, letters, family records and memorabilia, land documents, and selected Kona newspapers and articles.

Education

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Kona Historical Society designed a series of virtual field trips, free of charge, to all Hawaiʻi schools. However, we are beginning to offer on-site field trips as well. Check out our field trip page for details.

Programs

During the pandemic, Kona Historical Society moved many programs online so visitors and students could participate virtually. Resources such as Mondays with Maile, Story Time with the Kona Nightingales, and so much more are still available.

Historic Sites

Visit us at the only living history coffee farm in the nation, help make traditional Portuguese bread in our stone oven, or explore the collections at the Jean Greenwell Library. Our historic sites are perfect for wandering back in time!

“

KONAWAENA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

It was truly valuable and provided a real-time glimpse into the past that they would not have gotten anywhere else….The thoughts about past and present provided a great springboard for more wonderings and to reflect on history and the progress made from needs that people recognized.

Pattie Kunitomo / Virtual Field Trip

Get Involved

The Kona Historical Society depends on a strong community of volunteers, members, visitors, and lifelong learners. If you’re looking to learn more about the history of Kona or want to support our mission, there are several ways you connect with us!

Virtual Classroom

To accommodate the changing circumstances of education in the face of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, we’ve designed a series of virtual field trips, free of charge, to all Hawaiʻi schools.

We hope you will find something useful for your students in these engaging programs, whether that is a guided educational activity or simply a chance to try something new in your virtual classrooms.

Volunteer opportunities

Volunteering with Kona Historical Society is a great opportunity to let a few hours of your time turn into a history of new experiences to share with others.

KHS’ volunteer program is flexible and we have opportunities for both individuals and groups. We always have need for a variety of skills and experiences, so you don’t need to be a historian or an expert to apply!

Learn More

Make a Donation

None of our programs and resources would be available without generous gifts from our donors and member community. Membership is one of the best ways you can support the Kona Historical Society’s mission of collecting, preserving, and sharing Kona’s stories and unique sense of place.

We also have sponsor opportunities for local businesses who want to get involved!

Donate