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| Entrance to Spalding House. |
Worth a visit not only for the art, including an interactive exhibit that all ages will enjoy, but for the history, architecture, landscape design, cafe, and gift shop (plus you can gawk at the fancy houses, nay estates, along the drive as you mistake them for the museum).
Spalding House was one of Anna Rice Cooke's (grew up on Kauai, founder of Honolulu Museum of Art) residences, originally designed by notable Hawaii architect Hart Wood and constructed in 1925. Reverend K. H. Inagaki conceived the garden design between 1928 and 1941, which was later updated by James Hubbard (1979-1980) and Leland Miyano (1990s). (Wikipedia)
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| Spalding House garden. |
The exceptionally well-maintained, lushly planted walking path seems to be a fusion of Japanese and Hawaiian garden styles, featuring a small multi-story forest, stonework, and (currently) dry stream bed. Grab a goza (free to use, by the cafe) and nap or picnic on the expansive lawn with views of Diamond Head. It will be hard to resist "accidentally falling" into the Reflecting Pool, probably named to dissuade you from jumping in. Seriously, who do you have to bribe to swim here?
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| Spalding House Reflecting Pool, Milton Cades Pavilion in the background. |
Ponder what came first, the Milton Cades Pavilion or the David Hockney set pieces housed within - it is said the Pavilion was designed for this exhibit, and the exhibit was designed for the Pavilion. Either way, you feel like you've crashed the stage during an opera performance and didn't get the memo to come in full forest fairy costume. (It would be awesome if there were costumes you could put on and dance around in to the opera music.)
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| Close-up of part of the permanent David Hockney exhibit in the Milton Cades Pavilion. |
The cafe features indoor/outdoor seating, a small menu of fresh foods and delicious gelato, excellent service, and a beautiful garden setting. The well-curated gift shop with knowledgeable and helpful staff is not to be missed. The $10 admission is good for both Spalding House and HMoA (annual membership is just $25 and includes free admission to both all year).
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| View of Diamond Head from the expansive Spalding House lawn. |