The opening also features a “Celebrate Culture and the Arts Festival” from the 9 a.m. grand-opening ceremony on the front steps of the museum to 4 p.m. This will include performances, art demonstrations, art activities for all ages, and tours of the Mission House Museum, Hawai‘i Theatre, the Honolulu Academy of Arts, and the basement galleries of Iolani Palace. All these will be free.

“November 3 will truly be a special day for Hawai‘i residents,” Gov. Ben Cayetano said. “The people of our state now will have a unique place in the Capital District where their own art is displayed, taught, practiced, and passed on to the children of Hawai‘i.”

The HiSAM will be the second largest art museum in the state, after the Honolulu Academy of Arts. It will have three main galleries, occupying 12,000 square feet. Admission to the museum will be free at all times, and the hours of operation will be 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. The museum will be closed on Sunday, Monday, and all state and federal holidays.

To cover its operation cost, HiSAM is seeking corporate partners. In addition, the museum also accepts donations from individuals. Individuals can donate at the museum, or send donations to the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, 250 South Hotel Street, 2nd Floor, Honolulu, HI 96813. However, donations are completely voluntary, and individual donations are not expected to cover a large part of the operation cost.