A dream of Ed Bushor, owner of the Grand Naniloa Hotel, is to use the inviting space to honor the history and heritage of Hilo and Hawaiʻi through museum displays. He says, “When people come to the Grand Naniloa, they shouldn’t be able to tell if they are in a hotel that’s a museum, or a museum that’s a hotel.”
The focal point is the lobby of the historic hotel, but as the renovation progresses special displays will be installed throughout the property. The first displays were installed in the lobby in time for the 2016 Merrie Monarch Hula Festival.
The displays are rotated to give local residents and returning guests an opportunity to see different aspects of Hilo’s and Hawaii’s culture and history.
The displays include traditional Hawaiian musical instruments and implements, tools, household items, featherwork, and kapa, the traditional fabric of Hawaiʻi.
QR codes will allow the observer to visit online resources which contextualize and explain the artifacts.
Items in the cases are on loan from local families, museums, and educational institutions in a cooperative adventure through time and culture.
To contact the hotel, visit this link: Grand Naniloa Hotel, Hilo, Hawaiʻi.