Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund (HWF), NOAA’s Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary (HIHWNMS) and Brookfield Properties announce the opening of the 5,000sq ft Hawaiʻi Wildlife Discovery Center in Whalers Village.
The Hawai‘i Wildlife Discovery Center (HWDC) has over 30 exhibits about Hawaiʻi’s undersea life, whaling era, cultural values, and conservation work with contributions from several partners, including the non-profit Will Smith Foundation that sponsored the Immersive Experience, one of the highlights of the Discovery Center. The six-minute video is screened on three walls with only the sounds from ocean animals and waves rushing to shore.
“We have long needed a place that helps our visitors better understand how to respect native wildlife, while simultaneously gaining a deeper appreciation for the islands. We depend on partnerships like the one we’re sharing with Whalers Village and the Whale Sanctuary to succeed in our conservation efforts, and I couldn’t be more excited about this wonderful place we’ve co-created,” said HWF Executive Director, Hannah Bernard.
Hamline University in Saint Paul, MN, known for its success with experiential learning and innovative, hands-on technology, curated the multimedia storytelling tools in an adjoining room which are played on an 82-inch screen using an interactive kiosk. There are 45 locally produced, Maui-focused videos with topics ranging from “Voice of the Sea” to “Kumukahi: Stories of Living Hawaiian Culture” and “What Does it Take to Disentangle a Whale?”
