Hawaii Army Museum Society
4.7(1.3K)google
4.3(4)yelp
HistoryMilitaryEducational
Overview
The U.S. Army Museum of Hawaii is a U.S. Department of Defense-owned museum housed inside Battery Randolph, a former coastal artillery battery, located at Fort DeRussy Military Reservation. The battery was transformed into a museum in 1976. The Hawai’i Army Museum Society (HAMS) was chartered in the same year with a mission to support the U.S. Army Museum of Hawai’i.
Practical Info
MonClosed
Tue10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Wed10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thu10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Fri10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sat10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
SunClosed
Suggested Duration1.5-2.5 hours
Best TimeVisit during the shoulder seasons of April to June or September to November. Aim for Tuesday through Thursday around 10:00 AM. Housed in the historic Battery Randolph, the structure lacks modern central AC, making early hours much cooler. Midday sun offers striking contrast for photographing the outdoor tanks against Waikiki Beach.
Getting ThereLocated within Fort DeRussy Park on the western edge of Waikiki. Easily accessible via public transit: ride Honolulu's 'TheBus' routes 8, 19, 20, or 42 to the Saratoga Rd & Kalakaua Ave stop, followed by a 2-minute walk. Drivers can utilize the paid public parking lot at Fort DeRussy, though spaces fill up quickly.
Travel Tips
- Located within Battery Randolph in Waikiki, admission is free but there is zero complimentary parking; use the paid garage on Saratoga Road.
- The historic concrete bunkers heavily air-condition gallery spaces to protect fragile relics; pack a light jacket to prevent continuous chills inside.
- Large backpacks, rolling luggage, and long umbrellas are banned; no storage lockers are provided, and all small bags are subject to manual security screening.
Reviews
Positive
- This museum is cleverly converted from a real WWI US coastal artillery battery (Battery Randolph) right by Waikiki Beach; the massive reinforced concrete walls themselves carry deep historical visual impact.
- It houses a massive collection of genuine artifacts ranging from ancient Hawaiian weapons, WWII tanks, and helicopters to Vietnam War gear, holding high historical value. Best of all, admission is entirely free, offering unbeatable value.
- The internal service and order management are top-tier. Air-conditioning blasts fully (a premier sanctuary from Waikiki's blazing sun), exhibition paths are explicit, and multi-lingual audio guides are detailed and fun.
- The location is flawlessly convenient, sitting inside Fort DeRussy Park right by Waikiki's core resort block, highly accessible via walking or tourist trolleys. Authentic helicopters and artillery sit outside for great photos.
Heads up
- While the museum is free, the surrounding Fort DeRussy public parking lot charges exorbitant fees for non-military tourists; driving visitors who miss the indicators easily park wrongly and get high fines.
- Being built inside an old historic battery, the internal architectural layout is labyrinthine with narrow corridors; select areas lack comprehensive accessible ramps or elevators, somewhat unfriendly to elderly with mobility limits.
- The galleries rely heavily on text blocks and physical displays, lacking modern digital multimedia interactive projections or fun mini-games for toddlers; bringing small kids might leave them feeling bored quickly.
- The interior features zero cafés or dining stations, providing only a tiny military souvenir shop with single-dimension secondary spending choices. It closes early (around 4:00 PM), requiring tight itinerary scheduling.