Pearl Harbor, located just west of Honolulu, was originally called Wai Momi, by Hawaiians, meaning “Water of Pearl”. It became a port and naval base for the United States in 1887. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 brought the United States into World War II. Today it is the location of the United States Naval Base and the headquarters of their Pacific Fleet.

The Na Mele Nei, the Music of Hawaii Today, is a concert of free, live music presented weekly for locals and vacationers alike. These concerts feature Hawaii’s best local entertainers, hula dancers, musicians, and has everything from traditional Hawaiian music to jazz and reggae. On some occasions special guest artists will make an appearance.

The Bishop Museum was founded in 1889 for the purpose of collecting the Hawaiian artifacts of the royal Kamehameha family. It now has millions of artifacts, documents, and photographs from the royal family, Hawaii, and other Pacific island cultures. It is the largest museum in Hawaii and has one of the largest natural history collections in the world. It is known throughout the world for its research projects, cultural collections, and education programs.

The USS Missouri is a United States Naval battleship and is currently located in the historical section of Pearl Harbor. The USS Missouri was first launched in 1944 and was a part of operations in Iwo Jima, Ryukyus, and Okinawa. General Douglas MacArthur accepted Japan’s final surrender during World War II aboard the USS Missouri in September, 1945. She was also deployed during the Korean War and again during the Gulf War. The USS Missouri was taken off of the Naval Registry in 1995 and joined the Battleship Row memorial in 1999.

National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific is located in the Punchbowl Crater in Honolulu and is one of the most prominent national cemeteries in the United States. It is the final resting place of many men and women who served in the United States Armed Forces.