Chris Faye, Kauai Museum

Why should travel agents recommend a museum on an island known for outdoor adventures?

Museums definitely aren’t as sexy as so many other island offerings. What people need to know is that it’s not just another museum. It’s a really good place for learning about the islands of Kauai and Niihau.

Who typically visits your museum?

Kauai sees a lot of repeat visitors. Some don’t stop in until they’ve been here a few times, when they’re ready to spend more time learning about our people, culture and history.

Is the museum age-friendly?

Definitely. We see a lot of multi-generational families traveling together. There are a number of activities on Kauai you can’t do if you’re very old or very young. So, the museum is appropriate for all ages. The way we’ve organized the exhibits lets you work your way through it at any pace you like.

What tends to generate the greatest interest?

One of the most popular things is the video we play. The “Touch Me Table” in the Hawaiian section draws all ages. Visitors enjoy the exhibit of the Hawaiian chiefs by artist Laka Martin. And they like the camp house or plantation house. They always rearrange the furnishings in there, so we know they’re interested in it.

How does the museum round out a visitor’s experience?

Besides giving them a sense of place, visiting our museum gels with why they enjoy the aloha spirit of Kauai’s people. Many of Kauai Museum’s visitors have been returning to the island for 20 to 30 years. They enjoy seeing how things have changed during their time spent here.

Anything with appeal for even the most diehard recreation lover?

From June 12 to Sept. 12, we’ll be presenting Ikena Hee Nalu — Visions of Surfing. In the ancient days, surfing wasn’t just a sport but more a part of everyday life. The story of surfing from ancient times to the surfing boom of the 1960s is told in chants, early travelers’ journals, drawings, paintings and surfing magazines.

Any other interesting collections on hand this year?

From Oct. 13 to April 2009, we’ll be featuring the paintings of A.R. Gurrey, an artist who isn’t known very well outside of the islands. He lived and exhibited here and islanders loved his work. We have a collection of 32 of his paintings that has been restored by a conservator.

In a venue known for sharing the past, do you continue to find new ways to do it better?

We have a wonderful photo collection of more than 5,000 photographs. The challenge is in making them accessible to museum visitors. Our goal is to put them into a database and get them digitized. It’s fun to have such a huge collection to draw upon. It truly chronicles our island’s history and is a nice way to share it.

Your family has its own deep history on Kauai. Does this make your profession more personal?

Both of my parents’ families have been on Kauai since the 1800s and are related to everyone. My father’s side was in sugar and my mother’s side was in pineapple. A number of the photos and collections belong to my family and other Kauai families. So, the island’s history is very personal to me.