Museum Grand Opening in Hilo Showcases Cave Lions, Sabretooth Tiger

On June 11, the Hawaii Science & Technology Museum is hosting a grand opening of their new exhibit hall in the Kaikodo Building, 64 Keawe St. in downtown Hilo.

This year‘s exhibit hall theme will focus on natural history, presenting fossils such as cave lions, mosasaurs, ichthyosaurs, and a life-sized sabretooth tiger (Smilodon fatalis) that the museum acquired from the La Brea Tar Pits in California.

“Our vision for our new exhibit hall is to create a space where families can come be comfortable and spend quality time with each other while exploring some cool hands-on science activities,” said HSTM Executive Director Christian Wong.” Add to that the wonderful partnerships we’ve developed with our sister museums downtown, families can spend the whole day exploring, learning, and most of all having fun.”

HSTM Has been serving the Hawai‘i island community as a science, technology, engineering, arts, math education nonprofit since 2015 providing science camps, after-school programs, tutoring, and special events like science nights at local schools.

During the grand opening HSTM will join the East Hawai‘i Cultural Center, Pacific Tsunami Museum, and Mokupāpapa Discovery Center in celebrating World Ocean Day, as the first large collaboration of the four museums working together for the benefit of the community scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Kalākaua Park.

“We’re looking forward to a fun day of events and activities highlighting our wonderful downtown Hilo community ” – Kellie Miyazu, education director for EHCC, said.

EHCC will also be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on June 11 with its newest exhibit, “After Life.” The Pacific Tsunami Museum is open Tuesdays-Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

After a two-year hiatus due to COVID, World Ocean Day also marks the reopening of Mokupāpapa Discovery Center in the Koehnen’s Building at 76 Kamehameha Ave.

For more information on the East Hawaii Cultural Arts Center, click here.