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The central museum building is named in honor of the Royal Boathouse where King David Kalākaua kept his canoes and hosted private parties. (His soirées were the source of considerable gossip.) There’s a reproduction of a Matson liner stateroom and a replica of a South Pacific atoll complete with (stuffed) wildlife.

California and the Beach Boys may have popularized surfing, but Hawai’i invented the art of he’e nalu (literally, “flowing over the waves”). Displays chronicle the evolution from huge, heavy wooden boards to today’s sharp shooters.

When whale oil fueled the lanterns of America and Europe, Hawai’i was the world’s whaling capital – a provisioning and R&R stop for whaling fleets. Exhibits include equipment at the sharp end of whaling, and awesome skeletons.

Tattoos, so fashionable and readily acquired today, are steeped in spiritual meaning and tradition to Polynesians. Genealogical lines, chiefly standing, and personal behavior all determined which, if any, tattoos an individual could receive.

Bob Krauss of the Honolulu Advertiser campaigned to save the Falls, the world’s only remaining fully rigged, four-masted ship, now moored by the Boathouse.

This double-hulled voyaging canoe was built in the 1970s in proof that Hawaiians could sail the high seas. It is often on the water, taking its message of Hawaiian renaissance around Polynesia.

This well-designed, history-conscious shopping complex on Pier 9 has not been a great commercial success for its shops. The real life of the place is in the restaurants, nightlife, and free noontime entertainment.

Almost all of the state’s overseas water-borne traffic passes through Honolulu Harbor, and 98 percent of imports come to the islands by water. Masted ships visit from time to time; the fireboats spout fountains on special occasions, and the pilot boats zip about. A great vantage point for watching the life of the harbor is the patio of the Gordon Biersch brewpub at Aloha Tower Marketplace.

This 184-ft structure, once the tallest building in the islands, says “home” to many islanders. Built in 1926, the 10-story tower offers a stunning 360-degree view.

At these Marketplace piers on a Sunday evening, Norwegian Cruise Line ships weigh anchor for their around-the-islands cruises. A Hawaiian band plays, hula dancers sway, and passengers watch the city lights fade.