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The Koke'e Museum is a natural history museum that officially
opened its doors (as a non-profit) in 1953. Since then, it has
served as a visitor and activity center for both Waimea Canyon and
Kokee State Parks. Even today, it's a must see stop if you're on
the island of Kauai, Hawaii. In the middle of a mountain region,
the Koke'e Museum serves as a reminder of the people who
originally (and still do) inhabit the area. It has been a labor of
love that included the local since its beginning.
On Highway 50, not far from the town of Kekaha |
(which is close to Waimea), there are a
lot of signs that point the way to the two mountain parks. On the way
up, you'll marvel at the sugarcane plantation fields being slowly
overtaken with transplanted trees (mostly from Australia.) It's a
fascinating process to see nature taking back over. The reforestation
was done to help prevent erosion in the area. When you see the place,
you can readily see why they want to protect it.
Campers interested in staying overnight in the area should call the
Kauai office of the Hawaii State Parks Division at 808-274-3446. If
you have an interest in the history of this mountain region in Hawaii,
you're going to find a treasure trove of artifacts and tidbits of
information. Oh, and if you do go, remember to not feed the chickens!
(You'll see what that means when you get there.)
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Kauai
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