For the last four years, AldrichPears has been part of a team (including fel-low TAA member Ian McLennan) that worked closely with the University to create this $28 million center that includes a planetarium, exhibit gallery and restaurant.

THEMATIC AREAS

The 12,000 s.f. exhibit gallery is divided into two thematic areas with exhibits in both Hawaiian and English. The metaphorical journey to the top begins at a stylized forest found at the foot of Maunakea.

The first thematic area relates two stories of the origin of life: a Hawaiian account and a scientific account. Beginning in the multimedia Kumulipo theatre that transports visitors from the darkness of the beginning of the Hawaiian universe into a world pregnant with the potential for life.

Visitors experience the history of the Universe as understood by western science. This includes a unique “scanner station” booth. A computer “scans” the visitor, then illustrates the colourful history of one of his iron atoms in the billions of years since the Universe began.

The second area casts visitors as modern-day voyagers within the realms of astronomy and the Hawaiian culture. It compares the goals, challenges and technology of both these communities. They can take an aptitude test to discover what astronomy-related careers are suited to them, and visit some of the coolest neighborhoods in the cosmos in a unique 3D theatre experience: 4D-2U.

As visitors return to the stylized forest, they sense that they have come full circle and are concluding their experience at ‘Imiloa. AldrichPears is pleased to have collaborated on this cultural and astronomy educational center.