Architectural Walking Tours
AIA Honolulu offers architectural walking tours of historic Honolulu on Saturday mornings--by advanced reservation. If you have not yet explored downtown Honolulu through the eyes of an Architect, you will want to reserve your space on one of our tours. It's also a great repeat opportunity when mainland family and friends are in town, and is an ideal introduction for out of town visitors to our islands.
Call to reserve your tour today!
Exploring Downtown – A Walking Tour with the Honolulu Chapter of the American Institute of Architects: Thanks to the efforts of Frank Haines, FAIA in association with Dr. Janine Clifford, AIA, of Clifford Planning LLC, the walking tour booklet has recently been updated. It is on sale at the AIA Honolulu office for a nominal fee of $5.00. This 24-page glossy booklet contains full color photos and a historic write-up (edited by Glenn Mason, AIA) of each of the sites visited. The book now also contains a full map which can also serve as a self-guided tour for those who are not able to make advanced arrangements to join one of our AIA member guides.
Testimonials! Below read comments by happy walkers that participated in the Free Architectural Walking Tour of Downtown Honolulu that AIA Honolulu offered April 24, 2010:
"Thanks for the great tour on Saturday, my wife and I thoroughly enjoyed it."
"I want to express a big "Mahalo!" to those who took the time to organize and put this event together. Truly enjoyed the sites and the information shared by the various guides. Born and raised here, there's a tendency to take for granted the various historical buildings around Honolulu, without a deeper appreciation for the history they represent. So, this was a great walk through history and an eye opener about the value of these sites. Will encourage friends to sign up for future tours. Mahalo and have a great week."
"Thank you very much for organizing the architectural walking tour. Our guide was wonderful, as were the docents at each site, and we enjoyed it tremendously."
Downtown Honolulu Historic Architectural Highlights Include:
- Restored Hawaii Theatre
- Our Lady of Peace Cathedral
- St. Andrews Cathedral
- Washington Place
- State Capitol
- Iolani Palace
- State Library
- Honolulu Hale
- Kawaihao Church
- Mission House Museum
- Aliiolani Hale
- Kamehameha Statue
- Kamehameha V Post Office
- Yokohama Specie Bank
In the Media: Praise for AIA Honolulu Walking Tours
On Friday, September 14, 2007 the Honolulu Star Bulletin featured an article called "In step with history" by Jacquelyn Carberry about the AIA Honolulu Architectural Walking Tours and Alex Weinstein, AIA Member Emeritus, volunteer guide.
"For the better part of the last 50 years, Frank Haines and Alex Weinstein have spent their Saturday mornings educating the public on Hawaii's rich architectural past, primarily in and around the Capitol district...On a 2-1/2 hour tour that covers 23 downtown Honolulu buildings..." Click here for the Honolulu Star Bulletin September 14, 2007 article.
On Sunday, April 22, 2007 the Honolulu Star Bulletin featured an article called "Hawaii’s Back Yard" by Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi about the AIA Honolulu Walking Tour and Frank Haines, FAIA, the primary guide for the Saturday morning architectural walking tours:
"Eighty-six-year-old Frank Haines views buildings with the same sense of awe and wonder as an art aficionado would view a Rembrandt. A well-designed building is appreciated by the people who live in it, work in it or visit it, and by the community around it, said Haines. It can really be a work of art that exudes grace, beauty and uniqueness..." Click here for the April 22, 2007 article.
Schedule an AIA Architectural Walking Tour for an upcoming Saturday
AIA Honolulu welcomes inquiries for tours from local residents and visitors to the islands; we schedule tours for groups of 4 of more. Reservations are necessary to allow us to confirm tour dates with our AIA tour leaders. Good walking shoes are a must! We provide bottled water and a map for you to follow as your guide accompanies you to all of the sites of interest. Each tour is lead by an AIA architect who relates history, cultural insights, anecdotes and much more.
AIA Architectural Walking Tours are typically held on Saturday's beginning at 9 a.m. and ending at 11:30 a.m. Cost is $10.00/ person, paid in advance. Tours begin at the AIA Honolulu office on the 4th floor of the Historic Stangenwald Building, 119 Merchant Street, Suite 402. Contact us today!
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