US Army Museum of Hawaii

The U.S. Army Museum of Hawaii sits right on Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, housed in Battery Randolph, a massive concrete coastal-artillery emplacement built in 1911 to defend Honolulu Harbor, with walls so thick they proved nearly impossible to demolish. The museum traces the military history of Hawaii from the era of Hawaiian warriors through the coastal defences, the attack on Pearl Harbor and World War II in the Pacific, to Korea, Vietnam, and beyond. Exhibits include weapons, uniforms, vehicles, and personal accounts, while the bunker itself, a relic of early-20th-century coastal defence, is a fascinating artefact.

It's a surprising and worthwhile stop right amid the resorts of Waikiki, and notably it's free to enter. It offers real historical depth and a sober counterpoint to the beach. Allow about an hour or so; it's a great rainy-day or out-of-the-sun option. The story of how the thick-walled battery survived is itself memorable.

Don't miss

• The 1911 Battery Randolph coastal-defence bunker
• Hawaii's military history from warriors to modern era
• Pearl Harbor and Pacific WWII exhibits
• Weapons, uniforms, and vehicles
• A free attraction right on Waikiki Beach

Tickets & tours

Ways to visit US Army Museum of Hawaii

Cheapest way inWaikiki Trolley Hop-On Hop-Off Tour of Honolulu4.7★ · 4,992 travelers1–2 hoursFrom$22 per personSee dates →Most bookedSalute to Pearl Harbor Including USS Arizona4.7★ · 8,664 travelers~5 hoursFree cancellationFrom$62 per personSee dates →Top ratedPearl Harbor, USS Arizona Memorial and Honolulu City Tour4.9★ · 4,948 travelers5–9 hoursFree cancellationFrom$94 per personSee dates →

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Know before you go

• Entry is free, right on Waikiki Beach.
• It's set inside a massive 1911 coastal-defence bunker.
• A good option to escape the sun or a rainy day.
• Covers Hawaiian warriors through Pearl Harbor and modern conflicts.

A bit of history

Battery Randolph was completed in 1911 as part of the coastal defences of Honolulu Harbor, armed with large-calibre guns. Made obsolete after WWII, its massively thick concrete resisted demolition, and the structure was repurposed as the U.S. Army Museum of Hawaii, opened in the 1970s.