Archives
We are excited to offer access to the rich history of Punahou School. Starting as a loose collection of gifts, records and valuable materials handed down between administrations and librarians for decades, the Archives began to formalize in the 1950s.
It comprises school publications, photographic and multimedia images, artifacts, institutional records and manuscript collections which explain the historical events, growth and development of Punahou School.
The Punahou Archives is being temporarily located in Castle Hall during the Mary Kawena Pukui Learning Commons renovation.
Featured Collections
On October 23, 1819, a double-masted, 85-foot-long ship set sail from Boston Harbor, headed for the Sandwich Islands (Hawai‘i). On board were 14 missionaries and four young Hawaiian men, filled with zeal to bring the gospel to a “heathen” nation. After their arrival on April 4, 1820, the relationships cultivated between ali‘i and missionaries indelibly shaped the history of Hawai‘i and led to the founding of Punahou School.
Today, in recognition of these events two hundred years ago, we take the opportunity to reflect on this complex history.
Eia Hawai‘i: 1819 – 1841 consists of three exhibits that invite us to better understand our past.
There is a wealth of objects, texts, artifacts and narratives that bring the School's past to life while shedding light on its present and future. Many of these objects and the stories behind them were curated into an exhibit at Punahou's 175th Anniversary celebration in 2016. The entire Punahou community was invited to contribute their ideas, objects and anecdotes, making this collective storytelling exercise a multi-vocal reflection of the School.
Explore our Digital Archives
Explore historical images, publications, audio and video from the Punahou School Archives. Relive memories of your own time at Punahou and throughout the School’s 180-year history. Our collection of primary source material offers a rich look back at milestone events and those who have played a role in shaping the School, Hawai‘i and the larger world.
The Punahou School Archives team continues to digitize archival assets for preservation and community access in an effort to share Punahou’s unique history and illuminate our past, present and future. Current priorities are images and school publications. Access to some digital content due to copyright, privacy and confidentiality is restricted and will be noted within your search results.
We welcome you to visit Punahou School's Digital Archives.
