The state of Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states and is the only state made up entirely of islands, an archipelago known as the Hawaiian Islands, which is located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States.

Hawaii is made up of eight major islands: Ni’ihau, Kaua’i, O’ahu, Moloka’i, Lana’i, Kaho’olawe, Maui, and the island of Hawai’i, all of which were formed entirely by volcanic activity. The island of Hawaii, which is also referred to as the Big Island to avoid confusion, is the youngest and largest of the eight major Hawaiian Islands. Hawaii has a population of about 1.3 million residents, but over 90% of the population is situated on the island of Oahu, which could be considered the center of commerce for the state.

Oahu is home to Honolulu, the state capital and largest city, as well as Waikiki, the main tourist center throughout the islands.

With its beautiful beaches, lush greenery, and pleasant, year-round warm climate, Hawaii is one of the most popular destinations in the world for vacationing.

Some of the most popular towns and cities to explore in Hawaii include Hilo and Kailua-Kona on the Big Island, Kihei and Lahaina on Maui, Lihue and Kapa’a on Kauai, and Honolulu, and Waikiki on Oahu. Although great experiences can be found on any of the Hawaiian Islands, there are really only four islands suitable for vacations: Kauai, Oahu, Maui, and the Big Island. Although Oahu suffers from overcrowding, overdevelopment, and traffic, Oahu has the most to offer in terms of dining, shopping, and entertainment opportunities.

Run by the Hawaii State Foundation on Culture and the Arts the Hawaii State Art Museum is a popular art museum conveniently located in the No. 1 Capitol District Building right in downtown Honolulu. Admission is free at all times and the museum also participates in an event in downtown known as First Friday, which is where numerous art galleries throughout downtown open in the evening to allow people to explore any new works of art that may have been put on display.

The downtown Hawaii State Art Museum is actually the newest museum in Hawaii, and the museum is separated into three galleries: the Diamond Head Gallery, the Ewa Gallery, and the Sculpture Gallery.The museum also offers a 70 seat multi-purpose room for hosting any special events or public programs that may take place at the museum. Also located in the museum is Downtown @ HiSAM, which is the museum’s restaurant, as well as Shop @ HiSAM, which is the museum gift shop. Group tours for the museum are also offered for groups of up to 12 people. ]]> http://www.theviewpoint.org/hawaii-state/hawaii-state-art-museum/feed/ 0