Now Open!
Now Open!
February 17th - May 31st 2026
Anna Ranch, Waimea Hawai’i
Visit Our Waimea Exhibit
Tuesday- Friday 9am-3pm
*We are open some Saturdays for special events.
Check out Facebook page for the most up-to-date hours.
Make a Donation
The exhibit has quickly become a living classroom, connecting students to Hawaiʻi’s agricultural systems, pollination, and the vital role bees play in our food supply. With more than 600 students participating in field trips this season, the program has grown beyond its original scope and requires additional operational support to sustain the educational programming.
We are asking for your help: Sponsor a field trip by contributing below.
Mahalo Nui!
Book a Field Trip
We are booking field trips for our 2026 Waimea Exhibit now!
"It truly is a beautiful exhibit—from the thoughtful design to the many ways students can engage with the story. We left inspired.” — Willie Quayle, HPA Environmental Educator.
Field Trip Scheduling
Become a docent
We are seeking docents to guide students and visitors through the exhibit. Docents are asked to sign up for 1 shift per week over four months. Docent pay is available at $20 per hour, or volunteers can have their payment donated to the exhibit.
Docent Sign Up
Testimonial from past docent: “I was naturally curious about the exhibit, but not expecting my literal AWE at the immense information provided, my sudden proactive interest in emailing a few old friends in California who keep bees but who haven’t heard from me in years, to watch Queen Bee YouTube videos, and to help people who enter the exhibit LOVE it! I don’t have to help them love it, though; each person finds their own way. For some, it is the live bees and finding the queen. For some it is the art. For some, it is the Talk Story. And for many, it is the documentary introducing the individual people and their dedication and love of beekeeping.” - Sally, Kona Historical Society Docent
Phase 2: Anna Ranch Exhibit, 2026
Open February-May 2026
As of 3/11, we have hosted 170 students through our field trip program
So far, 1200 visitors have enjoyed the free exhibit.
We plan to host 3 Community Events throughout the duration, including an opening reception, movie night, and community discussion about invasive species with our island’s honeybee experts.
Images from Waimea Exhibit Opening below.
Come out and see what it is all about!
Phase 1: Kona Historical Society Exhibit
Open April-June 2025
Hosted 250 students through our field trip program
2000 visitors enjoyed the free exhibit.
Original Documentary shown by PBS Hawai’i
Hosted 2 Community Events, including a panel discussion about invasive species with our island’s honeybee experts.
Mahalo for your support, attendance, and enthusiasm for our Kona Historical Exhibit!
See images from the Kona Beekeeper exhibit below
Enjoy our Documentary Trailer
Leandra produced an original 10-minute documentary capturing the beauty of Kona’s beekeeping legacy and its role in agriculture in Hawaii, the continental US, Canada, and beyond. The film can be viewed in full at our free community exhibition — next one February- May 2026 at Anna Ranch Waimea.
And streaming on PBS Hawai’i.
Community Buzz
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PRESS: Kona Bees Save The World
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PRESS: “I want to share this unusual story with the Kona Community"
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PRESS: All abuzz: Kona Historical Society to open Beekeeping Legacy exhibit
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PRESS: Did you know Kona's environment is so ideal for raising queen bees that it's become the largest producer of queen bees in the world?
Celebrating the Hardworking Farmers of Hawai’i
What started as a small historical research project to honor my beekeeper father on his 75th birthday blossomed into a multilayered community exhibition with an original documentary and live observation hive.
This multimedia project was created by Leandra Rouse, the daughter of Kona Beekeepers. The Exhibition Includes:
Interactive museum exhibit with artifacts, historical and original images, and educational writing.
Original 10-minute documentary by Leandra Rouse & Andrew Hara
Live observation hive
Original honeybee artwork by local artists
A keiki (children's) education field trip program
Historical research and oral histories archived at Kona Historical Society.
Curator's Statement
Aloha!
This exhibition began as a personal tribute to my father on his 75th birthday, but grew into something more - a chance to showcase how the Big Island impacts communities worldwide.
While this is my first museum exhibit, I am a creative entrepreneur. I loved the opportunity to deep dive into Hawai’i Island’s history, expand my understanding of beekeeping, and give back to the community that raised me.
By sharing these stories, my goal is to inspire a greater appreciation for honeybees and the hardworking farmers of Hawai'i. Taking care of our bees and farmers is everyone's kuleana -when we support local agriculture, our whole community thrives alongside them.
Leandra Maile Rouse
A’ohe hana nui ke alu ‘ia
“No task is too big when done together by all”
Help us support the thriving field trip program in Waimea!
Because the exhibit has been so well received by local schools, we are seeking modest additional support to sustain field trip programming through the remainder of the exhibition. Please consider supporting this free community exhibit and the preservation of our agricultural history.
Let’s Talk Story
We want to hear your story about honeybees in the islands. Share with us here how honeybees have impacted your community.
Community stories will be archived with the project in the Kona Historical Gene Greenwell Collection.