The British Museum in London is opening a major exhibition titled 'Hawai‘i: a Kingdom Crossing Oceans' (15 January–25 May), accompanied by a catalogue featuring over 150 works from ancient Hawaiian treasures to contemporary pieces. The show explores the historical and cultural ties between Hawaii and the UK, highlighting objects such as an 18th-century feather cloak gifted to a British captain, portraits of King Kamehameha II and Queen Kamāmalu from their 1824 London visit, and a crested helmet. The catalogue includes an inventory of the entire Native Hawaiian collection at the British Museum, the largest outside Hawaii.
This exhibition matters because it reframes the relationship between Hawaii and the UK as one of strategic alliance and cultural exchange rather than colonial subjugation, presenting Hawaiian royals as sovereign peers. It also brings unprecedented attention to the British Museum's extensive Hawaiian holdings, fostering dialogue about cultural heritage and repatriation. By featuring contemporary works alongside ancestral objects, the show underscores the living continuity of Hawaiian culture and its global connections.