Hawaii's Unique Capitol

We learned more about early Hawaiian history by touring the wonderful Bishop Museum and the State Capitol. The latter was built in 1969, 10 years after Hawaii was admitted as our 5oth state. The Capitol’s unusual architectural style contains a great deal of symbolism reflecting the uniqueness of the Island State. It was designed with extensive amounts of open space, both inside and out, to convey a sense of open government. There are eight columns in front and back to signify the eight major islands that make up the island chain. Like the Hawaiian Islands, the Capitol is surrounded by water; instead of a traditional dome, there are open skies. The entire building is open to nature, but huge doors lock the offices and chambers from intruders. We had to peer through windows, as the day was late, to see the House and Senate chambers with their curved, sloping walls, a shape inspired by the volcanoes that gave birth to the islands.

We also went to the top of the Aloha Tower, which provides a great view of Honolulu. It is actually a high-end shopping center, where we enjoyed a wonderful lunch.