The middle of the Pacific Ocean might seem an unlikely place to find a Van Gogh painting of a wheat field or a 900-year-old Chinese sculpture of Guanyin, but visitors to the Honolulu Museum of Art (HoMA) encounter exactly that.
For generations, HoMA has brought the world to Hawai‘i. More than just a cultural institution, it has helped nurture local communities by connecting them with global cultures and perspectives.
This deep commitment to community has always gone hand in hand with a willingness to evolve in ways that truly serve culture lovers. From pioneering museum practices to partnering with CultureSuite nearly a century later, HoMA has consistently embraced technologies and approaches that deepen engagement and extend its reach across the islands.
We spoke with Lesa Griffith, Senior Public Relations and Communications Manager, and Sarah Smith, Digital Marketing Manager, to learn how HoMA continues to evolve its mission. Their work shows how digital innovation, when grounded in purpose, can deepen relationships, build communities, and carry a century-old vision into the future.
The art of forward thinking
Innovation at the Honolulu Museum of Art isn't a recent trend: it's woven into the institution's DNA.
For Lesa, Sarah and their team, innovation doesn't mean chasing novelty. It's about honouring a legacy whilst moving forward. "We're part of a long line of intentional changemakers here," Sarah explains. "Many people before us have been purposeful about pushing the museum forward, and we want to continue that tradition."
This tradition began with Anna Rice Cooke, who established this pioneering vision nearly a century ago. "Anna Rice Cooke is our forward-thinking founder. She’s a woman of privilege, with a clear mission rooted in education and cross-cultural understanding," Lesa explains. "At a time when women had very little agency, she created Hawai’i’s first visual art museum in 1927."
What began with just 875 pieces from Anna’s personal collection has grown into one of the world’s most significant art collections, spanning everything from Gauguin’s impressionist paintings to ancient Chinese sculpture and Native Hawaiian art. The objects weren't just decorative or rare; they were chosen for the stories they told – a vision that would shape not just what the museum collected, but how it engaged with its unique island community.
Global reflections, island roots: HoMA as a cultural bridge
This founding vision wasn't just about bringing the world to Hawai'i. It was about affirming that Hawai'i is part of the global cultural dialogue. From the start, Anna Rice Cooke envisioned a place where "children of many nationalities and races" could see their heritage reflected alongside the art of others, shortening geographical distances gallery by gallery.
"People shouldn't think of us as cut off from the world," Lesa reflects. "Hawai‘i was a technological pioneer – the Hawaiian monarchy’s ‘Iolani Palace had electricity before the White House. But there’s no denying Hawai’i was geographically remote in the early 20th century. For many locals, HoMA was the only way to encounter cultures beyond our shores." This mission of connection remains vital today.
The museum serves as a mirror reflecting personal identity through global and local lenses. "I'm Japanese-American," Lesa shares. "At HoMA, I see the art of my great-grandparents' homeland, displayed alongside European masterpieces." Sarah, who is Native Hawaiian and Japanese, nods in agreement. "Growing up in a mixed-race family, I always felt lucky to be surrounded by so many cultures."
She still remembers her first visit to the museum. "I was one of countless island children for whom HoMA was the first place they encountered international art. We lived on a farm. I never imagined I'd see a Van Gogh in my neighbourhood.”
The museum isn't only a lens to look outward, it's a meeting ground where global perspectives and Hawai'i's own stories intersect. "We have a strong Pasifika arts community," Sarah notes. "And HoMA was one of the first institutions to show Native Hawaiian artworks alongside global icons."
This context matters as people become more aware of post-colonial issues. It creates space for reflection and dialogue, while helping Hawai‘i's diverse communities connect with their history and expand their minds with different horizons.
The impact of a century of community leadership
This role as cultural connector is what has made HoMA a true community leader for a century. Whilst museums are often seen as elite enclaves, especially those with iconic collections, HoMA prefers to use its status to nurture inclusion and community-building.
HoMA's commitment to inclusion took shape early and continues to evolve, from welcoming schoolchildren in the 1950s who had never seen global art to free community days and structured art education programmes.
As community needs changed, HoMA responded with multilingual materials, reimagined galleries, and a deep focus on reflecting Hawai'i's diversity.
"Our work is for the public," Lesa affirms. "Art creates more stories for the next generation." This statement brings us full circle to Anna Rice Cooke's original vision: innovation in service of connection, global perspectives in service of local communities, and institutional leadership in service of personal transformation.
Thoughtful ways to use technology
HoMa has long found thoughtful ways to use technology to deepen public access to art and culture.
As early as the 1930s, the museum embraced the emerging medium of radio to extend its programming beyond the walls. Music recitals and art talks were broadcast on local stations KGMB and KGU, bringing cultural experiences into people’s homes in a completely new way.
By 1935, HoMA took it a step further: art talks were paired with reproductions of the featured artworks printed in the Honolulu Advertiser. This unique interplay of media allowed audiences to follow along visually with expert commentary – a creative solution that combined storytelling with accessibility long before the digital age.
This approach – practical, creative, and audience-focused – continued into the internet age. HoMA was one of the first institutions in Hawai‘i to digitise its collection and launch a locally-built website.
But over time, the website became difficult to maintain. “It became a bit of a maze,” Sarah notes, with a laugh. “I was basically holding it together with paper clips and duct tape.”
The pandemic underscored the urgency of digital accessibility. “We had to pivot fast,” Lesa explains. “The old site was buggy, and the team was spending more time patching it than planning for the future.”
That moment of urgency became an opportunity. This led HoMA to discover CultureSuite and adopt Peppered as their website platform, marking a major shift in their digital presence. More than just a new tool, it laid the groundwork for the museum’s next chapter, one that continues its tradition of integrating technology in meaningful, human-centred ways.
A human-centred approach to technology
Since partnering with CultureSuite eight years ago, HoMA has redefined their digital setup – one that’s not just about tools, but about people.
“You, me, all of us grew up with the rise of the internet,” Lesa reflects. “So as an organisation, it felt natural to start putting things online. But like many teams in museums, theatres, and beyond, we were figuring it out as we went, trying to prepare our spaces for a digital world without even knowing how it would evolve.”
The switch to Peppered fundamentally shifted the museum's digital philosophy. Before the switch, the team spent too much time troubleshooting and not enough time understanding how to use it in line with their mission.
“At the time, we used digital tools mostly to bluntly pop out information with a one-way street approach,” says Sarah. “We’d post something and hope visitors would find their way to it. But after some chats with the CultureSuite team, things clicked. We realised the website was more than a digital bulletin. It could become a true point of entry.”
That shift, from broadcasting to relationship-building, was a turning point. “CultureSuite helped us ask better questions,” Sarah says. “Who’s visiting? What do they need? How do we meet them where they are?”
Now, the team spends less time on tech issues and more on thoughtful choices. “We use almost every Peppered feature,” Sarah notes. “The redesigned website navigation is based on interests, not museum jargon, which feels more human.”
Looking to the future
As HoMA enters its second century, its mission remains firmly rooted in fostering connections. “Ultimately, we want people to walk through our doors,” Lesa says. “But we recognise that the website is now part of that journey. It’s not separate; it’s a threshold. It helps people feel informed and welcome before they even set foot in the museum.”
Sarah adds, “With CultureSuite, our team doesn’t have to waste time fixing bugs or battling outdated systems. This has freed up space for more meaningful questions. How do we guide people through their experience? How do we make sure they feel this museum, both digitally and physically, is truly theirs?”
“There are always more stories to tell,” Sarah reflects. “Artists sharing their views across time, culture, and geography. And now, those stories can reach even further. Through digital tools, they don’t just stay within the gallery walls, they travel, they connect, and they start new conversations.”
Since its founding, HoMA has helped connect Hawai‘i to global stories and perspectives. Generations have walked its halls, and now, digital tools carry those moments even further.
As HoMA looks to the future, there’s excitement about what lies ahead. With evolving technology, the museum can deepen connections, spark new conversations, and continue its legacy of innovation. We’re proud to support this next chapter in their story that’s nearly a century in the making.
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