Imiloa Astronomy Center

The Imiloa Astronomy Center is an educational facility housed in a modern building with a distinctive dome, featuring a planetarium, multiple exhibit halls, and native gardens. Inside, you will find interactive displays about space and astronomy, along with quiet outdoor areas where you can walk among native Hawaiian plants.

The center opened in 2006 as a place to connect ancient Polynesian navigation methods with modern astronomy and space exploration. It works with the observatories on Mauna Kea to bring current research and discoveries to visitors through its exhibits and shows.

The center presents exhibits in Hawaiian and English, connecting the ways ancient Polynesian navigators read the stars with how modern scientists study space. You can see how knowledge passed down through generations shapes the way the facility teaches about the cosmos today.

The center is open Tuesday through Sunday, with morning and afternoon hours for visiting. Admission includes access to planetarium shows, all exhibit areas, and the gardens, which you can explore at your own pace throughout your visit.

The facility uses specialized projection technology to display live data from the Mauna Kea telescopes onto the planetarium dome during shows. This means you can see what researchers on the mountain are observing and studying at almost the same moment it is being recorded.

Location: Hilo CDP

GPS coordinates: 19.70082,-155.08895

Latest update: December 12, 2025 12:05