Sale of Bishop Museum site unlikely, director says

By Walter Wright
Advertiser Staff Writer

The idea of Kamehameha Schools buying the Bishop Museum campus is "probably off the table," the museum's departing director said yesterday.

Hunter Smith of 'Ewa Beach and Rosamine Pires of Kane'ohe explore the Bishop Museum's Science Garden. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

The museum and Kamehameha Schools "were in broad-ranging sort of hypothetical discussions" about Kamehameha purchasing the museum site and the museum using the money from the sale to move to Kaka'ako, Duckworth said, but "I don't think there is any chance (of that) now.

"We may well create a science and technical museum in Kaka'ako if the conditions continue to be positive, and if that should be the case, not very much will change here," on the campus on Bernice Street near the intersection of the Likelike Highway and the H-1 Freeway.

Neither Kamehameha chief executive officer Hamilton McCubbin, who had discussed the idea, nor any Kamehameha trustees, could be reached for comment yesterday.

But Duckworth, who will retire in June after more than 15 years as head of Hawai'i's royal, cultural and scientific treasure house, said he was sure that Kamehameha leaders "looked at their budget and they looked at their needs and at a point said, 'You know, it doesn't make a lot of sense to buy a museum if you don't need a museum.' "

Duckworth talked about the museum site yesterday after opening the museum's new Science Garden.

The garden of native and introduced plants along a series of taro ponds is an example of the way the museum is making its scholarship and artifacts accessible and meaningful to the general public, Duckworth said.

The idea of a Kamehameha Schools-Bishop Museum land deal hit obstacles early on. Wendell Brooks Jr., chief investment officer for Kamehameha, said in January the school could not justify buying the museum campus only for the school's educational or endowment purposes, even if the museum reduced its initial estimated $50 million asking price.

The school would be interested in buying the 15-acre museum campus only if the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and/or other Hawaiian organizations would join it to create a Hawaiian governmental, educational and service center, McCubbin told OHA trustees then.

Duckworth said yesterday conversations continue with Kamehameha and other Hawaiian organizations about providing space for them on the campus.

"One of our centerpieces of discussion has been from the outset Bishop Hall," Duckworth said. "This is their original school building, and we would like very much to have it restored and renovated, so that it could be viewed in its original glory, with a dome on top of the tower. So we are still discussing how we can partner to do that and continue to do programs together."

The plan for a science and technology branch facility at Kaka'ako is pending in the Legislature, which is considering bills calling for $10 million in general revenue bonds to help pay to shift the planned center from Bernice Street.

"We have indicated to the administration that if the state can find it in their hearts and pocket books, we will take (the science center) to Kaka'ako.

"If that's not the case, we will do what we have been planning to do out here."

The museum has raised more than $16 million for the $36 million project, but has already invested heavily in plans for the center on the existing museum campus, Duckworth said.

The state money would pay for a new design for Kaka'ako. Either way, he said, the museum is eager to raise the rest of the money for the project from governmental and private sources.

The museum is a research center and showcase in the Pacific for nearly 2 million artifacts, recordings and photographs.

Kamehameha Schools was established by Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop for the education of Hawaiian children.

Her husband, Charles Reed Bishop, founded the museum in 1889.

It was designated a "state museum" by the Legislature in 1988. The land belongs to the Charles Reed Bishop Estate.