Tours & Talks of the WMA 2011 Annual Meeting

Experience some of Honolulu’s cultural gems along side curators and educators on these private behind-the-scene tours. Tours are scheduled concurrently during conference sessions. Shuttle pick-up and drop-off at the Convention Center. Pre-registration is required. Fee: $15 per person per tour. Limited to 20 participants per tour.

Saturday, September 24

2:00PM–5:00PM - Shangri La – Color Cladding: Islamic Tiles from the Doris Duke Collection

Join Keelan Overton, Curator of Islamic Art, on this tour of ceramic tiles from Iran, Syria, Turkey and Spain at Shangri La. Overton will discuss the origins and uses of ceramic tiles in various parts of the Islamic world from the 12th to early 20th century; show how Duke integrated them into the architecture and interior design of her home, Shangri La; and trace how her tile commissions helped stimulate a revival of artistic tradition in 1930s Iran.

Sunday, September 25

9:30AM–12:15PM - Waikiki Aquarium: Behind the Scenes

Located on the shoreline of Waikiki beach the Waikiki Aquarium was opened in 1904 and is the third oldest aquarium in the United States. In this behind-the-scenes tour, participants will be guided through the aquarium with educators and curators to view the exhibitions and hear about current research, exhibi- tion practice and caring for a delicate living collection.

A highlight of the tour will be learning about the new Northwest Hawaiian Islands exhibition. NWHI is a Marine National Monument recently designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is home to over 7,000 marine species, a quarter of which are found nowhere else on Earth. Offering vis- itors a nearly once-in-a-lifetime experience to see some of these fishes and corals in their natural habitats, the Waikiki Aquarium's new exhibit will feature a living reef ecosystem rep- resentative of that found in the world's most isolated islands.

2:00PM–5:00PM - Mission Houses Museum: Stepping Up to the Challenge

This behind the scenes tour focusing on meeting the challenges of a strained economy at one of the four accredited museums in Hawai`i. The tour begins at the 1821 Mission House examining the challenges presented by passive climate control and general maintenance and how the museum is stepping up to address these on-going issues. Next, partici- pants visit collection storage focusing on unique storage solu- tions that stretch dollars, protect collections and build commu- nity. The tour ends at the Chamberlain House Gallery where working with schools and non-profits has enabled the museum to continue its changing exhibitions program while building a stronger sense of community.

Monday, September 26

9:30AM–12:15PM - Mãnoa Heritage Center: Botanical Garden and Hawaiian Cultural Site

Visit Mãnoa Heritage Center, a Hawaiian cultural site and botanical garden in the heart of lush Mãnoa Valley. Enjoy a one-hour out- door guided walk through a Hawaiian native plant garden that surrounds an ancient Hawaiian sacred stone structure (heiau). On the walk you will also see the historic 100-year old home, Kualii, which will one day be a museum as well as broad views of the Koolau Mountains in the back of the Valley.

To find out more about more about events taking place during the WMA 2011 Annual Meeting, please download the PDF for our Preliminary Program.