The Contemporary Museum - First Hawaiian Center

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The Contemporary Museum - First Hawaiian Center

Location
Contact Info
999 Bishop St
Honolulu, Hawaii 96817
Phone: 808-526-1322
View Map

Web Site: http://www.tcmhi.org

Description/Comments

In 1996, The Contemporary Museum opened a downtown venue at the First Hawaiian Center in the heart of Honolulu's busy central business district, which was hailed as "a unique marriage of commerce and the arts." Generously underwritten by First Hawaiian Bank, these galleries co-exist with banking offices and showcase art by current and former residents and artists of Hawaii. The main banking hall is flanked by a dramatic art-glass wall created by James Carpenter. The wall consists of 185 prisms. The gallery area has a light and airy 60-foot vaulted atrium. Galleries are also located on the second floor mezzanine of First Hawaiian Center.

First Hawaiian Center is the tallest building in Hawaii and the world corporate headquarters of First Hawaiian Bank, Hawaii oldest bank and a multi-billion dollar company established by Charles Reed Bishop, consort of Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop and founder of Bishop Museum. The building cost over $175 million to construct and was designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates who also built Sotheby's Worldwide Headquarters, the World Bank Headquarters, and the Shanghai World Financial Center. Walter Dods spearheaded the project and is credited with the idea to include the art gallery in the bank's public spaces. He is also credited with transforming First Hawaiian into the largest and most profitable bank in the state. The architects made considerable efforts to incorporate as much natural light into the building interiors and used metaphoric designs in reference to natural phenomena found in Hawaii.

All of the profits of the art sales from FHC exhibitions benefit the artists.

Location:

TCM at First Hawaiian Center is located at 999 Bishop Street in downtown Honolulu, Hawaii. Admission is free; Validated parking available for TCM Members with membership card.

Gallery Hours:

Monday-Thursday; 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Friday - 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Closed weekends and bank holidays

First Fridays - 7 to 9 p.m. with Gallery Talk offered at 7:30 p.m. (When exhibitions are on view)

FHC Exhibition Tours:

Guided tours are offered at noon on the third Thursday of each month, when exhibitions are on view.

Exhibition Information:

Phone: (808) 526-1322; Web site: www.tcmhi.org

Staff Contacts:

Curator of Exhibitions - Inger Tully, 237-5230
Director of Museum Advancement - Charlie Aldinger, 237-5231
Assistant to the TCM Director - Gordon Wong, 237-5210

RELATED LINKS

The Contemporary Museum
Hawaii's only museum dedicated exclusively to contemporary art--the art of our day and our time.
2411 Makiki Heights Drive, Honolulu, HI (View Map)

Completely underwritten by First Hawaiian Bank, the venue provides a convenient downtown location to view art by resident artists, former residents of Hawaii, or artists who have created a body of work in the Islands.

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