The Wick List

Viewing Hawaiʻi: a kingdom crossing oceans

The Wick Culture - 'Ahu 'ula (cloak), Hawai'i, likely made before 1778. Credit: British Museum

Above ‘Ahu ‘ula (cloak), Hawai’i, likely made before 1778. Credit: British Museum

The Wick Culture - Kapulani Landgraf, ''Au'a Haunani-Kay Trask' (2019). Copyright Kapulani Landgraf 2025

Above Kapulani Landgraf, ”Au’a Haunani-Kay Trask’ (2019). Copyright Kapulani Landgraf 2025

The Wick Culture - Kapa (barkcloth), Hawai'i, possibly late 1700s-early 1800s. Credit: British Museum

Above Kapa (barkcloth), Hawai’i, possibly late 1700s-early 1800s. Credit: British Museum

The Wick Culture - 'Umeke ki'i (bowl with figure), Hawai'i, possibly late 1700s. Credit: British Museum

Above ‘Umeke ki’i (bowl with figure), Hawai’i, possibly late 1700s. Credit: British Museum

The Wick Culture - Mahiole hulu manu (feathered helmet), Hawai'i, possibly late 1700s. Credit: British Museum

Above Mahiole hulu manu (feathered helmet), Hawai’i, possibly late 1700s. Credit: British Museum

The Wick Culture - Turtle ornament, Hawai'i, possibly late 1700s. Credit: British Museum

Above Turtle ornament, Hawai’i, possibly late 1700s. Credit: British Museum

Above ‘Ahu ‘ula (cloak), Hawai’i, likely made before 1778. Credit: British Museum

Above Kapulani Landgraf, ”Au’a Haunani-Kay Trask’ (2019). Copyright Kapulani Landgraf 2025

Above Kapa (barkcloth), Hawai’i, possibly late 1700s-early 1800s. Credit: British Museum

Above ‘Umeke ki’i (bowl with figure), Hawai’i, possibly late 1700s. Credit: British Museum

Above Mahiole hulu manu (feathered helmet), Hawai’i, possibly late 1700s. Credit: British Museum

Above Turtle ornament, Hawai’i, possibly late 1700s. Credit: British Museum

The British Museum
Great Russell Street
London
WC1B 3DG
15 January – 25 May 2026

The British Museum’s Hawaiʻi: a kingdom crossing oceans, is a major exhibition celebrating the rich history and culture of the Hawaiian Kingdom and its long-standing ties with the United Kingdom. The show brings together more than 150 extraordinary objects, many never seen in the UK before, blending historic treasures from the Museum’s own collection with significant international loans. Among the highlights is a stunning ʻahu ʻula feathered cloak sent in 1810 by King Kamehameha I to King George III—on public display for the first time in over 100 years—alongside the Hawaiian king’s original letter requesting British support.

Visitors are greeted by a striking nine-foot statue of the god Kū, and the galleries feature finely carved drums, barkcloth (kapa), powerful shark-toothed weapons, feathered helmets (mahiole), and intricate deity figures (kiʻi akua). At its heart is the story of the 1824 royal voyage of King Liholiho (Kamehameha II) and Queen Kamāmalu to London—a diplomatic mission that marked a turning point in Hawaiʻi’s global relationships. This narrative thread allows the exhibition to explore themes of movement, alliance and cultural exchange, while acknowledging the complex histories of colonial contact and museum collecting practices.

The exhibition was co-created with Native Hawaiian knowledge-bearers, artists and scholars, centering indigenous perspectives and using ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language) throughout. This collaborative approach highlights not just the artistic mastery of the objects but their ongoing cultural significance for the people of Hawaiʻi today. It is a visually dazzling and thoughtful re-framing of Hawaiian heritage within a global context, bringing often overlooked Pacific histories to a broad international audience.