Living History at the Pacific Aviation Museum

My kids are always asking to go to museums so I was pretty excited to see an ad about the (expensive) Pacific Aviation Museum participating in a Smithsonian-sponsored national free museum day. As I’ve mentioned, I usually try to set expectations low.

“What are we doing tomorrow??”

“Probably chores. You can sort laundry for me!”

“……. what else could we do?”

So in the morning I asked if they wanted to do chores or GO TO A MUSEUM! They said, “Yaaaaaaaay! Bishop Museum! I want to see that cool volcano they have there!”

“How about the AVIATION museum??”

“No, I don’t want to go THERE.”

Mom expectation fail. Too late, I’d already used our free pass on that one. We pulled up to find it was also a family-friendly living history day. A scavenger hunt led us around the museum and the historic hangers looking for a Japanese flag, a hula instructor, a cockpit, a deep sea diver, a Purple Heart awarded to the only man who died on Ford Island during the Dec. 7 attack, a 40s housewife specializing in rationing, and Rosie the Riveter!

Isaac started off shyly. He knew completed scavenger hunts earned prizes, but he didn’t want to tell the volunteer anything he learned about Hawaii’s world-famous 442nd Infantry Regiment (which is very cool—this Asian-American regiment from Hawaii kicked all kinds of ass in Europe in WWII).

Eloise was not shy. She earned her own stamp and one for Isaac when she marched up to the hula instructor and fluidly danced along with her depictions: a bird flying, waves rolling. I didn’t know Eloise knew that. She’s only just started hula lessons a couple weeks ago. Here and there she’ll tell me “this is a fish!” but without the other moves I thought it was just general preschool movement. Well no surprise—she’s ADORABLE.

Isaac felt more emboldened by the time we got to historic Hanger 79 and riveted rivets with Rosie the Riveter. He popped in earplugs (with a little help), stepped right up, and manned the …. drill? Riveter? The thing that is loud and has a trigger and is heavy and construction-y and makes all the noise beneath a fluttering flag and is loud. Eloise followed his lead with hands over her ears and less enthusiasm.

At this point I spotted a woman my age wearing the Hawaii print shorts from j. Crew this spring. “Oh my gosh! I love your shorts! They sold out before I could get some!” She said, “Ha! I was just admiring your dress and how cute it is with your shoes!” I said, “Clearly we both have good taste! Ha ha!” Then our mutual compliment fest was cut short before I could compliment her children and find out if we have friends in common when we were drowned out by someone riveting loudly because it was loud. Was it loud? It was loud.

Anyway, after all this interesting stuff, we went back to the beginning and the kids got to select a prize! Isaac picked: a pink tootsie roll! Eloise picked: the first American Girls book in the Hawaii series. I have to say I’m partial to Eloise’s choice. She carried it around leading through the pages and pretend-reading aloud. Isaac found a very cool graphic novel about WWII in the gift shop that he just might be getting it for his birthday this week.

So that was totally fun and we had a nice day. You might even say it was… riveting?