Due to time constraints and current grant commitments, the HPS Archive must limit services for research inquiries, requests for use of materials, and appointments/ consultations for the time being. We have prepared support resources in hopes they will assist you in your research endeavors until we can provide expanded services once again. Please kindly explore one of the following options before submitting a form or emailing the Archive.
General Inquiries
If you are seeking general information about hula or Hawaiʻi’s history, culture, language, or other broad topics, please visit our Dynamic Waiwai List. Here you can find links to a variety of online resources that can assist you in your research.
Researching HPS Materials
The archive is a relatively new branch of HPS, and materials are continually being digitized, inventoried, processed, and/or cataloged. We hold deep reverence for the elders who have shared their lives with us, and the community who have entrusted their treasured items to our care. We ask those who interact with materials to do so with integrity, respect, and aloha.
We kindly request that you visit our Online Resources page before contacting the HPS Archive. This area can help you locate information or can orient you in your research.
If you are not able to locate information or materials related to your research in the Online Resources area, please submit an Archive Inquiry Form. Allow at least 5 business days for the Archive staff to respond to your inquiry.
Appointments & Consultations
We have found that most appointments and consultations can be handled remotely, which is helpful if you are not on the island of Oʻahu or simply prefer that avenue. Whether you would like to meet with our archive staff remotely or visit the HPS Archive in-person, we kindly ask that you submit an Appointment Request. Requests must be submitted at least 2 weeks prior to your preferred date. General availability is M-Th 9:30am-3:30pm and Fridays 9:30am-12:30pm (not including holidays).
Media, Community Event Organizers, Marketing, & Commercial Endeavors
HPS often receives inquires for use of materials (such as images or video) in media, news reporting, magazine articles, marketing, community events and festivals, filmmaking, and various commercial activities. The Archive staff work one-on-one with these types of inquires as they often entail unique tailoring and specialized processing. Depending on the research and preparation/ processing needed to fulfill requests, HPS may impose a fee. We may also impose a license fee for the use of materials produced by HPS itself (such as video and pictures captured by HPS videographers). A preliminary assessment will be carried out before any work is performed to determine if there will be a fee(s). Many media related projects have limited or short timelines to complete and we understand the nature of this. While we will try our best to assist you, we kindly ask that you submit inquiries and requests with as much time as possible to work on them.
For media, event, marketing, or commercial activities, please submit a ʻOihana Request Form. 
Looking for a home for your treasures??
The collections in the HPS Archive were built by and continue to be elevated by materials donated from the community. These materials help to preserve and share the history of Hawaiʻi and its people through the lens of hula. If you have items you would like to re-home that are associated with HPS’s focus, please directly email the Archive at archive@hulapreservation.org. Unfortunately, HPS is unable to assist with the shipping or mailing costs of donations.
It is helpful to include the following information when contacting us about donations:
•What is it? (formats such as paper, photos, records, video tapes, costumes, etc)
•Dates (when was it used, made, created, etc…)
•How much is there and what’s its condition? (how many bags, boxes, items, etc? is there damage or are they fragile, etc?)
•Story and history (where did you get these things? who made them? why were they made?)
•Pictures of materials (this is optional, however we find it very helpful to have pictures of materials so we can make a more informed assessment)