Jaggar Museum Artifacts Being Moved to Pāhoa
As Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park prepares to reopen on Sept. 22, some locations at the park will never be the same and Jaggar Museum is one of those places that has been damaged beyond repair.
Mainstreet Pāhoa Association’s Board of Directors reports that they are in discussions with Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, in cooperation with Mainstreet Pahoa Association, in allowing the contents of the world renowned Jaggar Museum in the park to be transferred to Pāhoa and be housed for temporary exhibit in the newly renovated building next door to Kaleo’s Restaurant. Details are currently being worked out.
At the same time, a proposal is in the making for a permanent World Class Visitors Center and Museum to be constructed at the corner of Highways 130 and 132, across from Pāhoa High School. The building will resemble Volcano House, with its lava rock face and huge porte-cochere entrance. If and when this is built and opens, all of the contents of Jaggar Museum will be moved to the new Visitor Center which will also contain a theater and museum.
This could be, perhaps, the single largest economic driver Pāhoa Town has ever seen. Combined with a lava viewing area that has been assured the county is working on.
The plans are still unfolding and the Board of Directors is optimistic that the merchants and restaurants of Pāhoa town will once again thrive.