Art After Dark

Last night I had the opportunity to be apart of a great event, the Harajuku exhibit and fashion show. What seemed like hundreds of people flocked the courtyards of the museum to watch the main show representing Harajuku fashion specially designed by local talents’. It was a lot of fun and cool to see how creative they were! Gourmet food vendors and a bar was open to all guests, while they enjoy the artwork and show. It was a night full of creativity and unique inspiration.
If you missed it, there’s an event every month.
Now that I have a yearly membership to the museum, I may find myself here occasionally. It’s such a beautiful and peaceful place to spend time, grab a coffee at their café, and check out the latest art exhibits.

Don’t laugh now… but had i actually gone to these events when i first moved home instead of discovering tinder, okcupid, and POF i probably would’ve been better off. DAMN YOU dating apps… i’m reformed these days stepped away from the apps and went back to good’ol fashion meeting people in real life! Cue Art After Dark!!! This is such a great event that unfortunately only happens once a month! aside from the exhibitions, the social aspect is vibrant, the host restaurant that provides food is always REALLY good, and tons of bars set up to keep everyone in great spirits. Definitely worth checking out if you’ve been mulling over whether to go or not… GO!!!

This is a phenomenal event in such a beautiful museum. The event «art after dark» takes place the last Friday of each month. It can be hard to find parking but it’s worth it to go. People get really dressed up and come have some drinks with their friends. It’s a chic crowd, especially for Honolulu standards, mostly in their late 20s and 30s. It gets very crowded! That was the only thing I didn’t like. You have to push your way through a very tight crowd to get around, so they could definitely work on better walk ways or paths for people to get around. But you can hang out, dance, drink, or go view some art. Last night there was a drag show which was pretty cool, and everyone had on funky wigs. It was super fun. I really liked the theme.
The museum itself is partly outdoor with many areas to walk inside and view exhibits. Also there’s two floors. They truly made this place so enchanting. I was just walking around in awe of the beautiful ambiance. The art itself is incredible. I loved the Buddhist area. It’s really cool to be able to experience art and also party. This event is something I plan to attend every chance I get!

Gotta say Art After Dark is one of my favorite events in Honolulu, that is held on the last Friday of each month. In the month of May I attended the «Culture Clash.» During this great event I got the chance to perceive some artwork created by Masami Teraoka called «Feast of Fools.»
If your looking for an art show with great music then I highly suggest checking this event out. Also check out the food vendors and grab a drink while being immersed by some great artwork.

This was fun! We went to the Indian themed Art After Dark for March. There were good drinks, good food, great entertainment, wonderful art work (of course) but as time goes on, it gets ridiculously crowded. I recommend getting there early if possible because otherwise, parking is impossible and then you have to wait for days if you want to buy food or drinks.

Like art museums? Like wine? Like live music? Don’t have anything going on on the last Friday of every month except for November and December? THIS IS FOR YOU.
ARTafterDARK is so much fun. For $ 25, you can sign up for a year-​long membership with the Honolulu Art Museum, which will get you into ARTafterDARK for free (otherwise it’s $ 10 a pop… so I’d spring for the membership and come more than 3 times!) From 6pm to 9pm, the Museum reopens for this event every last Friday of the month. They have food catered in, alcohol (okay it’s not just wine — they have beer and mixed drinks too — but wouldn’t you feel so classy in an art museum with wine?!), live music, some type of in house event, and of course, ART.
It’s a great change of pace from the usual bar scene. There’s always a fun collection of people there and new art to see every month. I’d suggest getting there early (right around 6) because not only is finding street parking easier, but the crowds won’t have you waiting ten minutes for a drink. Plus, you can leave a little earlier and continue on with your Friday night!
To play devil’s advocate, yes, $ 7 for a glass of wine IS expensive and yes, you can get cheaper food elsewhere, but once a month is a good time to treat yourself, and this is the place my friends and I always decide to treat ourselves. You won’t be disappointed… unless you’re just a very pessimistic person, in which case, cheer up and give it a go anyways!

If you’re looking for an art exhibit literally after dark, you should definitely check out Art After Dark.
Happening every last Friday of the month (except November and December for the holidays) it’s a hip and trendy event at the Art Museum with multiple bars, hip food, and live performances. They also have a rotating exhibit and themes that change every month! You could pay $ 10 for a one time admission OR pay $ 25 for a year of basic museum membership (which is like the cost of 2 and a half admissions, why not?!)
The thing that I love the most about this event though, is that the people who work here are very honest and down to earth. I’m no artsy-​fartsy extraordinaire, but the docents are always very welcoming and friendly and willing to explain anything that they know.
I bought a museum membership last May and around Halloween of the same year I thought maybe I had to renew my membership again since October is the last Art After Dark event of the year so I proceeded to pay and purchase another membership. A few days later, I received an email from someone from the museum asking me if I had accidentally bought the second membership because they go by 12-​month years (so buying a membership in May 2014 would be until May 2015) while I was mistaken that it was by calendar year. The museum staff was very friendly and insisted on giving me the refund because it would not be right to accept the second membership fee. This kind of honesty is something that I really appreciate. You go Honolulu Museum of Art, you go.

One of my favorite «artsy» things to do. Love meeting the girls and seeing the new art and all the exhibits.
Make sure you come early. The crowd comes later and it’s a mad house.
I loved the Indian theme and the Chinese New Year was a blast.
If you are a member the event is free and membership is only $ 25!

Or the dark is a great place to be on a Friday night if you have nothing else to do. There’s a lot of different people, good food, and drinks. Especially love the art galleries that we get to see for only $ 10. It’s free entry if you’re a member.
We went here on Halloween night 2014. The best part was the haunted house. Although the line was long, it moved very quickly.
I would have enjoyed myself better if there was free parking close by. The shoes I wore wasn’t exactly the most comfortable.

Art After Dark is held on every last Friday of the month (January to October) at the Honolulu Museum of Arts. The event runs from 6−9pm but I highly recommend you come early so you can get in and find parking.
Parking can be a little tough because it’s either street parking or the private parking lot. I usually park on the street because it’s free after 6 pm. Otherwise, the private lot is located behind the art school and it costs $ 5.
I also encourage you to sign up and become a museum member. For $ 25/​year, you get the basic membership and it allows you to get into the museum and Art after Dark events for Free. If you aren’t a member, it costs $ 10. So if you know you will be attending more than 2 art after dark events, it’s worth it to get the membership.
Once inside the museum they have various activities related to the theme of the month. The layout usually goes like this, couple areas for the bar, an area for entertainment, DIY project, and they have an activity in the main art gallery where you can try win something.
Overall, it’s a really fun event. My boyfriend and I use this event as our «date night.»

After joining the Honolulu Museum of Art, I was excited to see it included entry to Art After Dark. I arrived early and previewed all the bars and activities. It’s a very fun event for locals and tourists alike. There is special food, cocktails, Kona beer, wine, and crafts. All exhibits are open to explore (no food or drink allowed).
The only negative is the large amount of people. Certain areas of the museum become inundated with people, which makes it difficult to walk around, mingle, and be comfortable. I noticed that exhibits stayed pretty empty the entirety of the evening– most people stuck to the tables and courtyards.
Prices are high, but that can be expected from a fundraiser. The outdoor areas were steamy with humidity and close proximity of people. You can escape this by going into any of the very cold exhibit rooms.
It’s a great way to spend an evening at the museum, most of which is literally in the dark. It’s the same price as general admission for non-​members, so you get the added social benefit. The band was not memorable, but did provide a musical ambiance for the evening. I’ll be a regular attendee!

An art outing on a Friday complete with drinks, food vendors, and live entertainment and art is not something that is typical of my Friday nights. But perhaps it should…
What started as a suggestion by my friend was a two hour art experience. I swear, the last time I was here was probably in elementary school for a field trip… Needless to say, this was nothing like then.
In one area, there was a group of break dancers. Wander a little more down and you could see someone in the midst of painting a huge canvas with an Asian design (which reminds me, must invest in something like that when I get my own home). Of course you could always wander inside the actual galleries (leave your drinks outside, please). The only bummer part is that there were sections in the galleries that were blocked off– oh well, guess if I was really curious I could go during the day.
But you know that I love to talk about food and drink (I have no experience pondering the lines and dimension of art pieces, although I did rub my chin to look like I did). Things here were on the expensive side, so all I ended up getting was white wine and gyoza. There was a cart for sushi, and other enticing eats, but the average price seemed to be kind of steep…
Overall though, this place drew a mixed bunch of people both young and old, and artsy and not so-​artsy-​who-​came-​to-​see-​what-​this-​place-​was-​all-​about. I guess I fell into the last category, but an overall neat experience (once you get over the $ 10 entrance fee). I may be doing this again, just gotta practice on faking my art know how so I’ll be better prepared to ponder the meaning of life as I gaze into the art pieces.

Art After Dark is my newest favorite spot! In fact, I’m putting it in my calendar every month from now on. Clicking on ‘last Friday of the month’ and ‘repeat every month’ (Jan-​Oct only))right now.
It’s been years since I’ve hit up Art after Dark when a friend asked me to go in April. Well. It’s exactly as I remember-​SUPER FUN! If you have a museum membership, it’s cardless now, just go into the member line and give them your name. They find it on their handy iPads, and you are in.
I loved the live band, yummy food, multiple bars, fun activities and of course, the art. But what I loved the most is the mix of people and great vibe. It’s such a breath of fresh air from the typical bar scene. I appreciate the hard work that goes into the theme/​extras but I’ll have a good time at Art After Dark no matter what!
It’s appreciating art in a younger, hipper way with tons of beautiful people and a drink in your hand. What’s not to love?

I’m absolutely in love with the atmosphere of Art After Dark (minus the drunk people). I’m not a big clubbing /​bar person, or even an artsy person, but the combination of drinks after work, in a museum, was surprisingly fun.
I bought the museum membership for $ 25, and skipped the lines. If you are a local, this would probably be the more economic option. (Odd thing I noticed from older reviews — membership used to be $ 55? So I’m not sure if the $ 25 was a special.)
There are performances throughout the outdoor areas. Last time there was like a burlesque-​y parasol dancer. Pretty cool to watch. There is also live music, or DJs. I enjoy the music while outside, but not while I’m looking at the exhibits. Thankfully, the doors for the galleries are pretty good at drowning out the untz untz.
People are dressed up SUPER snazzy here. I knew that it was definitely a dressier event, but I didn’t expect to what extent. For those that are wondering — go in club wear.
Drinks are sold outdoors at several bar stands for decent prices. I think I had wine for $ 5 or something. Scary part about the drinks… it’s a crowded event and people are in their nice clothes. I was scared I was going to spill my wine on some girl and have her fight me over it. Meep.
The only annoying part was the number of drunk girls. It wasn’t even drunk people. Just drunk girls. I understand that drinks are being served, but to get completely wasted in a museum??? And what stems from that was how oblivious they were to other people. I genuinely was trying to look at the art pieces. The drunk ones were blocking whole passages with their posse and preventing people from passing, and then blocking entire pieces of art so that their friends can take pictures of them on all their 10 cameras. Thank goodness drinks are not allowed in the exhibits.

Where else can you go to drink liquor in a museum, after the sun has gone down?
A fun event that features a different theme every month. One month could be devoted to the golden age of travel, while another focuses on the culture of Japan. The composition of the crowd also changes, depending on the theme. Some themes appear to be more popular than others, which impacts how crowded the event can get.
During ARTafterDARK, the Honolulu Museum of Art is sectioned off into different areas. When first entering, the main courtyard is where center stage can be found, usually showcasing a musical act and a themed performance. Past performers included a kendo demonstrations and burlesque dancers. The open area next to the Doris Duke Theater is usually where attendees congregate to drink, eat, and mingle. The outer courtyards are where interactive displays are, along with more food and drinks.
The art galleries are open as well, although some may be closed off, depending on what is being featured at that time.
Admission to the ARTafterDARK is free for members of the Honolulu Museum of Art and $ 10 for non-​members. If you wish to become a member, they have sign up booths at the entrance. Becoming a member is a great way to support the arts in Hawaii.
The main issues are parking and how crowded the place can get. If you come early, you can luck out and find free street parking. If not, you’ll have to pay $ 5 to park. Depending on the theme of the month, the museum can be so crowded that you’ll have a difficult time walking around. Some people may be accustomed to it, but others may find it frustrating.

I’ve been to Art After Dark a few times. I usually will only go if I think the theme sounds good and I have always had a nice time. It is a cool concept. The art museum is open after hours for people to hang out and grab some drinks while enjoying art and music. I find that about half of the people are really dressed up and they are just meeting up at Art After Dark to kick off their night of clubbing. The event also ends at 9 p.m. leaving you plenty of time to party afterwards. I usually dress down, so there really is no dress code in effect.
In terms of the food and drinks, I would recommend you eat before you head up there and maybe hit up a pau hana before heading to Art After Dark. The food is pricey and you are getting pretty small portions. The drinks are small as well, so plan for that. Also, you can’t bring the food and drinks into the exhibit halls, so you can’t exactly enjoy your wine while looking at art. I am not advocating they change that policy, I’ve seen some people get trashed at this event and the museum should not run the risk of having someone damage the art.
The thing that I enjoy most about this event is the people watching. This event provides a great mix of people, which is a lot of fun. Drunk people, artsy people, young people, old people, basically, it’s a Hawaiian melting pot. I also usually run into a few friends I have not seen in a while, which is nice. They have a couple of dancing areas as well. The main dance area is usually accompanied by a DJ, and depending on the theme, there will sometimes be a live band in the courtyard at the entrance of the museum. The themes will often dictate the musical selection for the evening, and they have had some really cool events that have been well executed with food, apparel, performances and displays.
All in all, I would say that this is a nice event if you are looking for something simple and fun to do. On a nice day, I might hit up pau hana in town to eat and drink, and then walk up to the museum for Art After Dark. There is a $ 10 cover which kind of sucks when you consider it only lasts a few hours, but we only go every once in a while, so it’s not a big deal.

Always a good time.
Even better during halloween!
They always have a great theme, and its always well decorated!
You can check out the galleries, have a drink, and when you look at the galleries the next time they looked even better: p
Last friday of the month, always great to check it out after eat the street. Great event!

$ 4 parking right across the street — I lied, one block east across the street — same difference.
$ 10 to get in if your a non member. If you plan on going every month just pay for the membership, its only $ 55 or $ 95 for two adults and you get bonus discounts.
After reading the reviews about this place, Kyle H. hit is spot on!
You can walk around the exhibits. I went through about 2 of them which took a total of about 20 mins out of the 3 hours we were there. Its pretty much a nice alternative to drinking at a bar or club on a Friday night. The live entertainment was great! This woman was belly dancing then balancing a sword on her head then her hip, cool beans.
We participated in a scavenger hunt game where you had to find the title of the painting with only a picture of a portion of the actual painting. Really easy and we all won a koa wood tree to grow on our own!
Drinks: $ 5 or more
Bartenders: great and super Friendly!
Attire: varies from casual to suits to I’m going dancing after this
I will definitely return for the fun but might pre-​funk a little before because… well I’m cheap :)

Let’s be honest, this shindig has nothing to do with art for the majority of attendees — myself included. I like to pretend while planning my attendance that I will gracefully stroll through the exhibits between mingling with friends and having a glass of wine…
This is the reality people — I pre-​party while getting ready for the early shindig (6 – 9 pm) because I want to be there by a reasonable hour, if you’re not an Academy member, it’s $ 10… to party for a couple hours, gotta make the most of it!
I finally arrive close to 7 and immediately feel like I need to catch up with the masses — where’s the closest bar?! Of course being that the original plan was to get there around 6, everyone forgot to eat dinner and started drinking anyway…
Fast forward to the pumpkin hour (9 pm) and yup, you guessed it — I did not look at one speck of art! I am, however, very nicely boozed up and ready to go to bed.
Thank you Art After Dark for providing a great venue (albeit HOT) to dress pretty and drink with my buddies and still crash at a reasonable hour :) One of these days I vow to look at the art!!!

What happened to the old Academy of Art? You know… the old, stuffy, the place you go to for a field trip as a kid? Well, Art After Dark (AAD) has definitely changed that mentality and showcases its offerings to the younger demographic in the way it does best… by having a great time!
Held once a month with a special theme, AAD brings art and fun together with local bands performing, dj spinning in the café area and wine/​beer at a pretty reasonable deal. As you wait in line to enter, it almost seems as if you are going in to a club rather than a museum… and to be honest, it almost is that. A band is playing in the courtyard by the entrance and as you make your way towards the Luce Pavilion/​Café a DJ was spinning near the large bar back there. It is definitely a fantastic way to have fun, enjoy some wine or beer, and see the art… just be sure to finish your drink before entering the galleries.
The cover charge is rather reasonable, however you might want to consider becoming a member to the Academy since members get in for free. Parking is available on street or in the lot behind the Academy school off Beretania for $ 4. Be sure to bring $ 1 cash bills though since it is one of those slot payment boxes.
Definitely a fun and new way to enjoy the all of the fantastic and interesting pieces the Academy has to show off!