Mānoa Heritage Center

Nā Kumu

Complimentary school tours are held weekdays from 8:30am to 3:30pm by reservation only.

Tour experience lasts between 90-120 minutes, depending on group size. For groups of 60, tour activities are included in the experience. For groups of 30 or less, after-tour activities are optional. Tours are available in ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i; please email contact@manoaheritagecenter.org for more information.  

Please browse the calendar for available times and dates to reserve a tour. Request dates at least two weeks in advance to guarantee a tour.

After completing the form, you will receive an email confirmation. Mānoa Heritage Center is situated in a residential neighborhood, and we can only accommodate one school bus (up to 70 students with an extra-long bus) per day.

We are hosting school groups TUESDAY-FRIDAY from 8:30-3:30 pm.  We are not hosting school groups on Monday.  *WE WILL BEGIN TAKING RESERVATIONS FOR FALL 2025 on JUNE 1.  Please make your requests for SY 25-26 beginning June 1, 2025. 

Request a School Tour Here for SY25-26

Student Tour Etiquette and Planning

PARENT RELEASE FORMS AND ELECTRONIC WAIVERS: All students must have a completed Parent Release form to participate in tour and activities (see resource section below). Please download and distribute, bringing completed forms on the day of your tour(s). Teachers and chaperones can fill out our electronic waiver. BUS SUBSIDY INFORMATION: Thanks to generous grant funding, Mānoa Heritage Center is able to provide bus transportation for groups that qualify.  Please email contact@manoaheritagecenter.org for more information. Please share the Hawaiian values listed below with your students prior to your visit. We want students to be curious and ask questions, while staying safe and respectful as Mānoa Heritage Center docents lead them through the gardens and around Kūka‘ō‘ō Heiau.

Kuleana

Be responsible for self, belongings, behavior and safety of your group. Please wear name tags.

Laulima

Let’s work together to learn about Hawaiian culture and Mānoa Valley by holding each other responsible for our actions.

Aloha ‘āina

Let’s become land stewards like the ancient Hawaiians. Take care of our ‘āina by picking up ‘opala (trash), and leaving plants as you find them.

Mālama

Let’s take care of ourselves, one another, and our surroundings by putting things back where we found them and being gentle and kind to all things.

Ho‘oma‘ema‘e

Let’s be clean and prevent the spread of germs by washing hands after working in the garden, using the restroom, and before eating.

Navigating Tour Path

Our outdoor path is rocky. Considerations: sunscreen, hat, appropriate footwear, rain jacket, umbrellas (we have a limited number of large umbrellas).

Group Size

60 max (or one bus load of students, plus one chaperone for every 10 students is required) per tour.

Lunch

Your group is welcome to bring brown bag lunches and eat on site. We provide water and a healthy snack. With our LEED-certified lower campus, we are striving for zero-waste at MHC. Please encourage students to bring reusable water bottles (we have a refillable water station) and encourage healthy lunches (sandwich, fresh fruit, cut vegetables) with less plastic waste.

Post-Tour Activities

Waikiki Ahupua’a Resource Game

Waikiki Ahupua’a Resource Game

Waikiki Ahupua’a Resource Game

Grades: G2-6 Tour Length: 120 minutes for tour and activity Group size: up to 60 students max During this activity, students will understand the concept of ahupua‘a as a sustainable system for sharing resources through an exploration of cultural objects and discussion. Students will divide into teams and consider what the basic needs are for survival and working in teams, determine if they have the resources to sustain life in their community. Students will then consider the watershed today and think about solutions to make the watershed more sustainable.

Native Hawaiian Leaf Rubbing Journal

Native Hawaiian Leaf Rubbing Journal

Native Hawaiian Leaf Rubbing Journal

Grades: K-4 During this engaging activity students will understand how leaf shapes, sizes and other characteristics vary from plant to plant.  Students will also learn how to catalogue leaves through observation and data collection. Students will also create a rubbing. By recording data students may build a deeper connection and want to learn about plants and cultural values associated with them. Plants live in language, language lives in the plants (names, stories, chants, genealogy).

Kapa Stamp Design

Kapa Stamp Design

Kapa Stamp Design

Grades: G3-6 Tour Length: 120 minutes for tour and activity Group size: up to 60 students max During this fun activity, students will discover the geometry of traditional Hawaiian kapa design. Using stamps inspired by ‘ohe kapala, students will have the opportunity to infuse their creativity and ingenuity as they rotate and reflect shapes to make an original composition.

Eyes open, Ears open: Observation and Mo‘olelo Rotation Tour

Eyes open, Ears open: Observation and Mo‘olelo Rotation Tour

Eyes open, Ears open: Observation and Mo‘olelo Rotation Tour

Grades: PK-G2 Tour length: 60-120 minutes depending on group size Group size: up to 60 max On this interactive and age-appropriate tour, activity stations are incorporated into the garden and heiau visit. Stations can include: Mānoa mo‘olelo (stories), an observation and sound activity, a hands-on garden activity (‘uala planting or learning about compost), learning about ahupua‘a through an exploration of cultural implements.

All about the ‘Āina

All about the ‘Āina

All about the ‘Āina

Appropriate for all ages Tour length: 90-120 minutes for tour and activity Group size: up to 60 max In this activity, students will get their hands into the ground and learn about native plants that thrive in Manoa Valley. . They will understand that different types of plants thrive under various geographical/ecological locations and how natural resources are utilized and are vital for our existence. Depending on the season, students will either propagate ‘uala, harvest kalo, or another native plant in our garden.  

All aspects of our tour program are aligned with Hawai‘i’s Common Core and State Standards. Please view the Resources below for alignment chart and more detailed description of activity.

Tour Resources

Parent Release Form

Please have parents fill out and submit this form prior to your scheduled tour.

Teacher Resource Packet

Download a Mānoa Heritage Center Teacher Resource Packet.

Welina Mānoa

Download Welina Mānoa Curricula.

DOE Standards Alignment

Download the Mānoa Heritage Center DOE Standards alignment (Including Nā Hopena A‘o statements).

Preschool (HELDS) Standards Alignment

Download the Mānoa Heritage Center Preschool HELDS Standards alignment.

Mānoa Heritage Center Tour Evaluation

Mahalo for bringing your students to visit Mānoa Heritage Center. Your feedback is important to us. Thank you for taking a few minutes of your time to help us improve our tours by filling out this online evaluation.

Hawaiian Values

Please share the Hawaiian values listed in this document with your students prior to your visit.