Bailey House Museum

The basics

The Bailey House Museum, part of the Maui Historical Society, has six exhibition rooms over two floors housing rare Hawaiian artifacts that predate contact with Europeans. Among its installations and features are a canoe house with a traditional fishing canoe and a redwood surfboard, a dining hall hosting rotating exhibits, and gardens with native Hawaiian plants.

Things to know before you go

• A gift shop at the museum offers books, artwork, and souvenirs related to Hawaiian culture.

• Admission includes download access to a virtual tour mobile app.

• Children between 5-18, Hawaiian residents, seniors, and students receive discounted admission. Children 4 and under can enter for free.

How to get there

The museum is on Main Street in the center of Wailuku, the county seat of Maui County. Driving from Kahului, take Highway 32 (Kaahumanu Avenue) towards Main Street and the Maui Historical Society. On public transportation, take bus # 1 or #20 from the Queen Ka'ahumanu Center to the Wells St./State and County Buildings stop and walk the remaining distance.

When to get there

The Bailey House Museum is open year-round, Tuesday through Friday from morning to mid-afternoon. It’s closed on New Year's Day, July 4th, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Check the calendar on the Maui Historical Society website, which posts upcoming cultural events at the museum and around Maui.

What to see at the Bailey House Museum

The themed rooms of the Bailey House museum celebrate the rich heritage of arts, crafts, and study of nature in Hawaii. Along with a collection of rare Hawaiian Land Snails, there are quilts, a redwood surfboard belonging to a noble Hawaiian, a traditional canoe carved from a koa log, paintings by members of the Bailey family, and fine paper, feather leis, and jewelry made by Indigenous Hawaiians.