Top Hawaii Holiday Party Museums

• Spaces for 48-800 Guests
• 3 Museums
• 1 Theater
• 3 Total Spaces

ʻImiloa Astronomy Center sits on nine acres within the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo's Science and Technology Park, where Hawaiian cultural traditions and modern astronomy come together under one roof. Opened in 2006, the 40,000-square-foot facility was built to honor Maunakea by connecting early Polynesian navigation history with the discoveries made by contemporary astronomers working atop the mountain. The center's name — ʻImiloa — means "to seek far" in Hawaiian, capturing the spirit of both the navigators who crossed the Pacific by the stars and the scientists who map the universe from Hawaiʻi Island today. The center offers four rentable spaces for private events, from the 150-seat Moanahōkū Hall with its stage and dramatic lighting to Hawaiʻi Island's only planetarium, which seats 120 for exclusive screenings or presentations. A 12,000-square-foot Exhibit Hall filled with astronomy and Hawaiian culture displays provides an exceptional backdrop for receptions and dinners. On-site dining is available through Lehua Restaurant.

• Spaces for 180-600 Guests
• 1 Museum
• 1 Outdoor
• 1 space at this venue

Capitol Modern — the Hawaiʻi State Art Museum — occupies the second floor of the historic No. 1 Capitol District Building in downtown Honolulu, steps from ʻIolani Palace. The 1928 Spanish-Mission structure was designed by Walker Emory, Marshall Webb, and Lincoln Rogers, and features cast stone detailing, iron grillwork, ornamental light fixtures, and original Italian tile work inspired by Florence's Davanzati Palace. The building earned a place on the National Register of Historic Properties in 1978 before becoming home to the museum in 2002; it was rebranded as Capitol Modern in 2023. The museum presents the largest collection of works by Hawaiian artists and is free and open to the public. As the venue that the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts describes as "a small gallery with a big responsibility," Capitol Modern positions art as a civic resource — the people's museum. For private events, Capitol Modern offers several distinct rental spaces: an open-air Second Floor Courtyard, a sweeping Front Lawn shaded by monkeypod canopies and coconut trees, and a ground-floor Sculpture Garden that has been transformed into an urban oasis. Together these spaces accommodate events from intimate gatherings to large celebrations of up to 1,500 guests.

• Spaces for 350 Guests
• 1 Museum
• 1 Landmark
• 1 space at this venue

Hulihe'e Palace is a historic royal residence built in 1838 on Ali'i Drive along Kailua Bay in Kailua-Kona on Hawaiʻi Island. Constructed from lava rock by High Chief John Adams Kuakini, the palace served as a vacation retreat for Hawaiian ali'i including Princess Ruth Keʻelikōlani, Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, and King David Kalākaua. The Daughters of Hawaiʻi restored and opened it as a museum in 1927, and it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. Today, the palace grounds host private events year-round against the backdrop of Kailua Bay. The lush oceanfront lawn, shaded by hala and palm trees, accommodates weddings, anniversaries, graduations, business functions, and cultural celebrations for up to 350 guests. Six graciously appointed rooms across two floors retain koa wood furniture, feather standards, royal portraits, and period artifacts from the Hawaiian monarchy era. Private rental windows span nine hours between 9 a.m. and 10 p.m., with rates starting at $1,000. The Daughters of Hawaiʻi events team works directly with clients to coordinate each event.

• Spaces for 300-500 Guests
• 1 Museum
• 1 Outdoor
• 1 space at this venue

Established in 1904 and managed by the University of Hawaiʻi, the Waikīkī Aquarium holds the distinction of being the second-oldest public aquarium in the United States. Situated on a 2.35-acre oceanfront parcel in Waikīkī on Oʻahu, the Aquarium has spent more than a century advancing the study and appreciation of Pacific marine life — and its setting along the water makes it one of the more distinctive event locations on the island. Evening facility rentals bring exclusive access to the full grounds: the manicured lawn facing Diamond Head and the Pacific Ocean, the indoor Aquarium Galleries showcasing tropical marine communities of the Hawaiian and Pacific ecosystems, the 7,500-gallon "Edge of the Reef" outdoor exhibit that recreates a living Hawaiian shoreline, and the Hawaiian Monk Seal habitat. The open lawn accommodates up to 450–500 guests for cocktail receptions and up to 300–350 for seated dinner functions. Rentals are available on Tuesday and Saturday evenings. For questions and availability, the Aquarium's events office can be reached at (808) 440-9008 or events@waikikiaquarium.org.