From the Archives: What’s in a name? | Honolulu Museum of Art
Source: https://honolulumuseum.org/stories-from-the-archives-what-s-in-a-name-sbj2
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:16
From the Archives: What’s in a name? | Honolulu Museum of Art
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Wed Apr 8 2026
Part of
From the Archives
From the Archives:
What’s in a name?
Today, April 8, 2026, the Honolulu Museum of Art turns 99. In anticipation of our centennial next year, we are starting this series From the Archives to celebrate the Museum’s past as a place of community and inspiration while we also look forward to an exciting future.
In 1920, museum founder Anna Rice Cooke began cataloging her art collection with Catharine E.B. Cox, a teacher of art and dramatics (and her grandson Richard Cox was a dedicated museum supporter until his passing in 2024). It was an extraordinary undertaking for a single woman—she had been widowed for 11 years—at a time when women did not have a lot of agency. The duo’s work laid the foundation for Mrs. Cooke’s interest in building a museum especially for Honolulu’s youth.
The charter of incorporation for the Honolulu Museum of Art.
On March 16, 1922, the Territory of Hawai‘i issued a charter of incorporation to the “Honolulu Museum of Art” for “the promotion of study and advancement of education in matters of art, the encouragement of artists, the acquisition and public exhibition of works and things of art and the extension and use therof to artists and others interested in the study of art.”
As education increasingly became a driving force behind the museum during the planning process, the name was changed to Honolulu Academy of Arts, and the charter was amended to include a broader education program. It opened its doors to the community in 1927 with that name.
In 2011, with the museum’s education mission firmly established—it was welcoming more than 20,000 students on free school tours, and more than 4,000 students in its Art School every year—it reverted back to its original name after joining with The Contemporary Museum. While some people will always call it the Academy, the move clarified HoMA’s identity not as a school, but as a place of inspiration and gathering for all.
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A rendering of the museum by the architecture firm Bertram G. Goodhue Associates.
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We have received your application. We will contact you when tickets become available.
Something went wrong. Please call to be put on the waiting list.
Added:
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To the cookie settings
To the main content
To the footer
Story
Wed Apr 8 2026
Part of
From the Archives
From the Archives:
What’s in a name?
Today, April 8, 2026, the Honolulu Museum of Art turns 99. In anticipation of our centennial next year, we are starting this series From the Archives to celebrate the Museum’s past as a place of community and inspiration while we also look forward to an exciting future.
In 1920, museum founder Anna Rice Cooke began cataloging her art collection with Catharine E.B. Cox, a teacher of art and dramatics (and her grandson Richard Cox was a dedicated museum supporter until his passing in 2024). It was an extraordinary undertaking for a single woman—she had been widowed for 11 years—at a time when women did not have a lot of agency. The duo’s work laid the foundation for Mrs. Cooke’s interest in building a museum especially for Honolulu’s youth.
The charter of incorporation for the Honolulu Museum of Art.
On March 16, 1922, the Territory of Hawai‘i issued a charter of incorporation to the “Honolulu Museum of Art” for “the promotion of study and advancement of education in matters of art, the encouragement of artists, the acquisition and public exhibition of works and things of art and the extension and use therof to artists and others interested in the study of art.”
As education increasingly became a driving force behind the museum during the planning process, the name was changed to Honolulu Academy of Arts, and the charter was amended to include a broader education program. It opened its doors to the community in 1927 with that name.
In 2011, with the museum’s education mission firmly established—it was welcoming more than 20,000 students on free school tours, and more than 4,000 students in its Art School every year—it reverted back to its original name after joining with The Contemporary Museum. While some people will always call it the Academy, the move clarified HoMA’s identity not as a school, but as a place of inspiration and gathering for all.
Top banner
A rendering of the museum by the architecture firm Bertram G. Goodhue Associates.
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Bodhisattvas and Bart Simpson: All about Tsherin Sherpa and his work
Explore Tsherin Sherpa’s journey from traditional thangka painter to global contemporary artist blending Buddhist iconography with pop culture in Divine Disruption.
Story
New jewelry line is inspired by HoMA artworks
GAMAR x HoMA collection reimagines HoMA artworks as ethically crafted gemstone jewelry, inspired by O’Keeffe, Hokusai, Guanyin, and more.
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The Garden Club of Honolulu wants you to “Imagine That!” May 8-10
Experience Imagine That!—the Garden Club of Honolulu’s Major Flower Show at HoMA, May 8–10, featuring stunning floral design, sustainability, and community inspiration.
Story
We have received your application. We will contact you when tickets become available.
Something went wrong. Please call to be put on the waiting list.
Added:
To wishlist