Waves of hope are on the horizon for the partially-shuttered Pacific Tsunami Museum

In December, when the Pacific Tsunami Museum in downtown Hilo laid off all 10 of its employees, suspended operations and announced it could shutter for good, former staff stepped up to try to save the place that educates to save lives.

Former staff members are volunteering their time and raising funds to keep the educational hub open for residents and visitors, albeit on a reduced schedule.

The Pacific Tsunami Museum opened 30 years ago in its current location across from Hilo Bay to educate and spread awareness about tsunamis, which have killed more people in Hawaiʻi than any other natural disaster, including many victims in Hilo.

The museum is in dire need of monetary donations to fix parts of the 100-year old building and to pay the staff before it can reopen with regular hours.

“To me, the museum never recovered from the financial loss due to COVID-19 and when looking at the financial integrity of the museum, it did not make sense to continue to struggle to keep the doors open every day,” said Cindi Preller, the museumʻs director who now is working as a volunteer alongside her staff.

“Fortunately, visitor numbers have not been as much of an issue, but we need long-term solutions and to attract a new generation of people who care and want to support the museum,” she said.

The museum is filled with photos and videos of tsunamis that have hit Hawaiʻi and other parts of the Pacific along with detailed descriptions of the disasters. Most importantly, however, is the large archive of firsthand interviews with survivors.

Dian Mahoney became a volunteer docent for the Pacific Tsunami Museum when she retired 21 years ago and has found a passion for sharing stories from survivors and making connections with people from around the world.

“I knew nothing about tsunamis when I started to volunteer and I have learned so much from so many people,” Mahoney said. “I think any museum needs to build personal connections with its visitors, because that is what allows the knowledge to stick.

“When people learn about Mr. Nishimoto, who built a raft with things he found in the water at 14-years old (in 1946,) they may better learn what it takes to survive.”

Mahoney said during her years at the museum, the personal stories are what grab people.

“I feel very grateful and blessed that I can reshare all these amazing things I have heard over the years,” she said.

“Our docents and volunteers are refusing to let us close the doors completely, because everyone believes in the mission — to educate and save lives, because there will always be tsunamis,” Preller said. “It has been decades since Hilo has seen real destruction, so it’s more important than ever to educate keiki, kamaʻaina and visitors since tsunamis happen all over the world.”  

In 1946, the Big Island was hit by the deadliest tsunami in Hawaiʻi’s modern history, with 165 people killed in downtown Hilo and Laupāhoehoe Point. Just 14 years later, Hilo Bay was hit with a 35-foot wave that killed 61 people and destroyed more than 500 homes and businesses.

Mike Weiss decided to become a volunteer docent 8 years ago after visiting the museum and seeing the importance of learning about tsunamis as a Hilo resident. He has since passed that knowledge along to others, which was a great fit for his skillset as a former teacher.

“This place is important because of our mission to teach people about tsunamis, so that when the next one comes, they know what to do and there won’t be the same death and destruction of the past,” Weiss said. “Because there are no buildings in the tsunami zone and we have the tsunami warning system, there is a good chance no one would die if we had the same tsunami from 1946.”

While the early warning system works for tsunamis that develop far away, there are some that form nearby and happen in a matter of minutes. This makes education even more imperative when it comes to learning about how to see signs of an approaching tsunami, or what to do when one comes.

In 1975, the last tsunami that caused death on Hawaiʻi Island started from an earthquake and then landslide off the coast of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. A large tsunami as high as 47 feet on the south side of the island sent massive waves to Hilo Bay in 15 minutes.

“If there is an earthquake off the coast, there may not be time for the early warning system, so knowing the signs of tsunami and stories of how others survived in the past can save lives,” Weiss said.

While it is not specified how much funding is needed to reopen completely, the museum has been able to raise tens of thousands of dollars from community donations since announcing its closure before Thanksgiving, according to Preller.

“It has been amazing to see the outpouring of support from the community that loves this museum and want to see it stay,” Preller said. “While it’s sadly not enough yet, it’s enough to give us hope.”

In the last couple weeks, leadership with the Pacific Tsunami Museum has been working with the Olson Trust, which will be working to attract investors to aid the museum, and set a meeting with Hawaiʻi County Mayor Kimo Alameda, who has expressed his support for the museum and its mission.

“I’m not sure what the County can do at this time, but I love this museum,” Alameda said. “Without it, we don’t have a place to foster conversations and continue educating our future generations.”

As of January, the Pacific Tsunami Museum is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday with docents volunteering their time to make it happen.

“If this was two weeks ago, this would have been sad and gloomy, but now there is some hope,” Preller said. “While we’re not free and in the clear, which I’m not sure is even possible, I have incredible amounts of gratitude.”