Learning Adventures
in and around
Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park

HISTORY - ARCHEOLOGY - GEOLOGY - HAWAIIAN CULTURE - BOTANY - WILDLIFE
PHOTOGRAPHY - HIKING - VOLCANOLOGY - VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Following a successful launch of the Hawai'i Volcanoes Institute in 2009, we have expanded in 2010 to offer a very special opportunity for members, residents, and visitors. Our new INSTITUTE-ON-DEMAND allows your group (of four or more) to create your own custom-designed program. It's perfect for families, reunions, school and senior groups, friends traveling together, adventure-seekers, and more!

Partnered with talented presenters in fields such as geology, archeology, botany, photography, and culture, INSTITUTE-ON-DEMAND provides personalized educational adventures in and around Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. Programs can be tailored to provide friends members with a park experience that is truly unique, or to provide visitors with an unforgettable experience.

With the launch of INSTITUTE-ON-DEMAND, those interested in learning more about Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park have another excellent way to tap into the myriad resources of this rich and dynamic world heritage site. We thank the presenters who have offered to lead our institute-on-demand customized programs and hope that this core of experts continues to grow as demand for our new offering increases.

To set up your INSTITUTE-ON-DEMAND personalized adventure, please call (808) 985-7373 or Email Us or Submit Online Request Form (PDF)

The Hawai'i Volcanoes Institute is a program of the Friends of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. The Institute is an outgrowth of the Friends' popular field seminar series that has excited participants for more than 10 years. 2009 marked our first year as a Park educational Institute, and we are providing more courses in more subjects than ever before. Our expert instructors have a gift for bringing their subjects to life and engaging students of all ages. Whether you are an island resident or visitor, we invite you to explore and learn with us in this dynamic and evolving land.

Hawai'i Volcanoes Institute's wide-ranging educational offerings are designed to enrich the experience of all Park visitors eager to learn more about the Big Island's geology, biology, history, and culture. In this remarkable Park we see the earth being born. We marvel at the variety and uniqueness of the plants and animals that evolved only here. Dramatic and varied island ecosystems range from undersea habitats to glaciated landscapes above 13,000 feet. In this Park we see evidence of first people who reached these islands centuries ago and a thriving contemporary Hawaiian culture deeply connected to this heritage and this land.

Hawai'i Volcanoes Institute provides many lenses through which to see and understand this World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Reserve. Hawaiian stories, mele (song), and hula (dance) provide compelling views. Scientists in many fields offer intriguing insights. Institute program leaders, all experts in their subjects, make our courses come alive. We invite you to come with us, to explore and be renewed in the newest land on earth.

Hawai'i Volcanoes Institute shares the Park's educational mission as a partner providing quality programs that inspire and engage people in the understanding, appreciation, and stewardship of this remarkable Park. The National Park Service cannot preserve Parks alone; it is only the larger community who can protect our shared natural and cultural heritage.

Cindy Orlando, Superintendent
Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park