Pacific Tsunami Museum

The Pacific Tsunami Museum is dedicated to the Pacific tsunami that occurred on April 1, 1946 and the Chilean tsunami that occurred on May 23, 1960. It was established in 1993 with the intent to educate visitors about tsunamis. Jeanne Branch Johnston, a tsunami survivor, believed the city of Hilo needed a tsunami museum, so she collaborated with Dr. Walter Dudley, the author of a book about tsunamis and survivor stories, to found the Pacific Tsunami Museum.

The museum has exhibits about the science behind tsunamis and information about how to prepare for tsunamis and what to do if one occurs. There are several interactive exhibits to help visitors understand how tsunamis form, and there is a short video with footage from the 1946 tsunami that plays in the Donna Saiki Vault Theater. The museum hosts many disaster preparedness and community awareness events in case a tsunami hits Hilo. It's open on Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $8 for adults, $7 for seniors, and $4 for children and teens.