Capitol Modern: The Hawaii State Art Museum

Exhibitions

Capitol Modern exhibits offer insight into current themes and diverse expressions in the local art world through some of the best contemporary art from across Hawai‘i.

Current and Upcoming Exhibits

  • State of Hawaiʻi Public Art Collection Exhibit

    Contemporary Portraiture: Art in Public Places

    Jan 2, 2026Sep 19, 2026

    A selection of portraits from the Art in Public Places Collection of the Hawaiʻi State Foundation on Culture and the Arts. ʻEwa Gallery.

  • Montage of several portrait paintings.

    Special Exhibition

    Schaefer Portrait Challenge

    Jan 2, 2026Sep 19, 2026

    This exhibition, on loan from the Maui Arts and Cultural Center, features the carefully selected entries of artists whose work best captures Hawai‘i’s extraordinary portrait subjects.

  • Photo of concentric circles of colorful feathers on a Hawaiian hula instrument.

    Mini-exhibit

    Recent Acquisitions: Art in Public Places

    May 5, 2026Jul 25, 2026

    Mini-exhibit on the ground floor, showcasing recent additions to the Art in Public Places Collection of the Hawaiʻi State Foundation on Culture and the Arts (SFCA).

Ongoing Exhibits

  • detail of oil painting depicting sunlight on ocean water

    State of Hawaiʻi Public Art Collection Exhibit

    Trifecta

    Ongoing

    This exhibition brings together 21 members of the Hawai‘i arts community, each invited to curate 3 artworks from the Art in Public Places (APP) Collection of the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts. Trifecta highlights multiple curatorial voices and celebrates the depth and diversity of the APP Collection. Second floor, Leʻāhi Gallery. Artwork in image: detail of "Rocky Point #5" by Peter Shepard Cole.

  • View of gallery with a row of fashion designs on display.

    Special Exhibition

    Celestial Concerto: fashion from the 2026 Mod Gala

    Ongoing

    Mod Gala 2026 fashion exhibition, showcasing works by designers Ryan Whittaker, Mapis Bernal, Kye Harford, and Marques Hanalei Marzan.

  • Sculpture Garden

    Ongoing

    Our ground floor Sculpture Garden has been transformed from its beginnings as a recreational area with a large swimming pool and bleachers into an urban oasis with pathways and nooks for reflection.

Recent Exhibits

  • Annual Exhibit

    2021 Young Artists

    Young Artists of Hawai‘i is an annual student art competition and exhibition that recognizes creative excellence among Hawaii’s public and private school students in grades Kindergarten through sixth grade. This exhibit is presented by the Hawai‘i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts and the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority. The program provides opportunities for students to participate in a juried art competition. A panel of distinguished judges select 96 works for exhibition from school submissions.

  • Art Piece with text Altered States

    Altered States

    Highlighting unique and alternative visions of the world through twenty-three artworks from the SFCA’s Art in Public Places Collection.

  • Mai Hoʻohuli
    i ka Lima i Luna

    Mai Hoʻohuli i ka Lima i Luna features Hawaiian art from the Art in Public Places Collection of the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, and is guest curated by Drew Broderick, Kaʻili Chun, and Kapulani Landgraf.

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