Discoverers' Day in Hawaii — Why We Don't Call It Columbus Day

Mainland calls it Columbus Day. Hawaii calls it **Discoverers' Day**, observed the second Monday of October. It's the same date — but the name is intentionally different, and the meaning has shifted further over the past decade. ## Why "Discoverers' Day" instead of "Columbus Day" When Hawaii became a state in 1959, the legislature opted not to honor Christopher Columbus — who never came to Hawaii and whose legacy was already contested. Instead, they named the holiday to broadly honor all "discoverers" — Polynesian navigators, the first Europeans to arrive (Captain Cook, 1778), and others. The federal government still observes it as Columbus Day. Hawaii sits next to it with its own name. ## The shift toward Indigenous Peoples' Day Since the early 2010s, momentum has built in Hawaii (and elsewhere) toward observing the same day as **Indigenous Peoples' Day** — honoring Native Hawaiian heritage rather than colonial arrivals. - Honolulu City Council has discussed making the change. - Many Hawaii businesses and schools quietly call it Indigenous Peoples' Day in internal communications. - Native Hawaiian Day is also observed each year (usually the third Friday of October) — separate but related. ## What's open / closed - State offices: closed - Federal offices: closed - Schools: closed - Banks: most closed - Stores, restaurants, beaches: open ## What to do on the day If you're in Hawaii on the second Monday of October: - **Visit Iolani Palace** — the only royal palace in the U.S. Open most days. - **Bishop Museum** — Hawaiian cultural history. Resident discount. - **Polynesian Cultural Center** (Oʻahu) — six Polynesian cultures across one site. - **Free Hawaiian music + hula at Kūhio Beach Hula Mound** (if it's a Saturday in October instead, but worth knowing). ## See current Hawaii events - [Hawaiian Holidays Calendar 2026 →](/blog/hawaiian-holidays-calendar-2026) - [Best Free Things to Do in Honolulu →](/blog/free-things-to-do-in-honolulu) - [Browse all events →](/events)