Visiting the Mission Houses Museum

Mission Houses Museum is a museum developed by the Hawaiian Mission Children’s Society in 1920. It can be found at the 553 South King Street. The museum was built to commemorate the 100^th anniversary of the Christian missionaries’ arrival in Hawaii. The Christian missionaries who arrived at the island in the early days originally built the mission. It is a historic landmark registered under the name Kawaiahao Church and Mission Houses. It was listed as a historic site at the National Register of Historic Places.

The Mission Houses Museum offers a wide range of exhibitions including documents, artifacts and etc. Most of the artifacts are dated in between 1820 – 1863. The artifacts are exhibited for various purposes such as educational and public purposes. There are more than 3,000 artifacts in the museum. The artifacts are collected from different places including Hawaii, Western countries and Pacific Islands. There are over twelve thousand artifacts at the museum. The museum is open in between 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. from Tuesday to Saturday. The cost of the admission fee to the Mission House Museum is $10. Discount for the admission fee is available to students, old people, and soldiers in the military unit.

There are several types of houses you can see at the Mission Houses Museum including Oldest Frame House, Chamberlain House, and Print House. Materials transported by a ship from Boston in 1821 built the Oldest Frame House, also called Ka Hale L??au wooden house. The materials are measured according to the right proportions. They are readily cut and can be used to assemble a frame house. The Oldest Frame House features New England architecture style. The small windows ensure that the heat will be kept inside. Daniel Chamberlain and his family originally occupied the house. The house was home to more than 5 missionary families. Sometimes, sailors and orphans who have become ill will come to stay at the Mission Houses Museum. The parlor in the house is used as a school house. The dining hall is situated in the basement. The cookhouse is situated in a different building than the Oldest Frame House.

The Chamberlain House, also called Ka Hale Kamalani, was built from coral blocks. Levi Chamberlain designed the house. The house has room for storing the supplies and people. The Chamberlain House is a two storey house equipped with an attic and cellar. There are a larger number of windows in the Chamberlain House compare to the Mission Houses Museum.

The Print House is the additional coral building located next to the frame house. It shows how the early missionaries work with the local Hawaiians to produce the first printed materials.