Exhibitions
Capitol Modern exhibits offer insight into current themes and diverse expressions in the local art world through some of the best contemporary art from across Hawai‘i.
Current and Upcoming Exhibits
State of Hawaiʻi Public Art Collection Exhibit
Contemporary Portraiture: Art in Public Places
Jan 2, 2026 — Jul 4, 2026
A selection of portraits from the Art in Public Places Collection of the Hawaiʻi State Foundation on Culture and the Arts. ʻEwa Gallery.
Special Exhibition
Schaefer Portrait Challenge
Jan 2, 2026 — Jul 4, 2026
This exhibition, on loan from the Maui Arts and Cultural Center, features the carefully selected entries of artists whose work best captures Hawai‘i’s extraordinary portrait subjects.
Mini-exhibit
Woven in the Wind: a community celebration of Manu-o-Kū
Feb 4, 2026 — Apr 4, 2026
A community-based art exhibit in partnership with Hui Manu-o-Kū, celebrating the native Hawaiian seabird. On the ground floor, next to and across from the museum gift shop.
State of Hawaiʻi Public Art Collection Exhibit
Trifecta
Feb 4, 2026 — Jul 4, 2026
This exhibition brings together 21 members of the Hawai‘i arts community, each invited to curate 3 artworks from the Art in Public Places (APP) Collection of the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts. Trifecta highlights multiple curatorial voices and celebrates the depth and diversity of the APP Collection. Second floor, Leʻāhi Gallery. Artwork in image: detail of "Rocky Point #5" by Peter Shepard Cole.
Student Art
2026 Hawaiʻi Regional Scholastic Student Art Awards
Feb 20, 2026 — Mar 21, 2026
Experience Hawaiʻi through award-winning artworks by Hawaiʻi teens. This annual competition and exhibit is a longtime favorite for many visitors! Presented by the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts and Lexus Hawaiʻi, with additional support from Zippy's.
Ongoing Exhibits
Sculpture Garden
Ongoing
Our ground floor Sculpture Garden has been transformed from its beginnings as a recreational area with a large swimming pool and bleachers into an urban oasis with pathways and nooks for reflection.
Recent Exhibits
Special Exhibit
Local: Shar Tui‘asoa's debut solo exhibition; The Earth Laughs in Flowers: the 11th Annual Exploring the New Contemporary Movement curated by Thinkspace.
"Local": Shar Tui‘asoa's debut solo exhibition; "The Earth Laughs in Flowers: the 11th Annual Exploring the New Contemporary Movement" curated by Thinkspace.
Special Exhibit
Art(ist) Teacher Art Exhibition: The Spark Within
The Spark Within | What ignites the creative spark within us? How do artist teachers recognize and respond to those fleeting moments of inspiration? And as mentors, how can we nurture that same energy in the emerging artists we guide? SPARK brings together the personal work of Artist Teachers of Hawaiʻi - educators who are also practicing artists. We invite you to explore their stories and ask yourself: how do you spark?
Special Exhibit
Hula Kiʻi Youth Exhibit
In partnership with Capitol Modern, the non-profit Hula Preservation Society (HPS) unveils a new Hula Kiʻi Youth Exhibit. The exhibit features the work of the Papa Hana Noʻeau class (10th grade) of Hālau Kū Māna New Century Public Charter School.
See It In Person
As Hawaii’s free public art museum, our art is your art. What are you waiting for? Visit us today.
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