About Us

What is the Polynesian Cultural Center’s history? 

Founded in 1865, this area was originally desolate and uninhabitable. Through tender loving care and tenacity, the lovely town of Lāʻie, also known as ‘The Gathering Place’, grew into a beautiful center of spirituality, education and ethnic harmony. The Polynesian Cultural Center first opened its doors in 1963 as a way for students at the adjacent Church College of Hawaiʻi (now Brigham Young University Hawaiʻi) to earn money for their education and as a means to preserve and portray the cultures, art and crafts of the people of Polynesia. Prior to this great event, the town of Lāʻie hosted weekly hukilaus, a community fishing event, meant to entertain, instruct and support the community. We’ve come a long way since 1963. The center has grown to become Hawaiʻi’s number-one paid attraction, drawing nearly a million visitors a year.

What awards has the Polynesian Cultural Center won?

In 2026, USA Today 10Best readers voted the Polynesian Cultural Center the Best Family Attraction in Hawaiʻi and named our Aliʻi Lūʻau the Best Lūʻau in Hawaiʻi. The same year, readers of Hawaiʻi Magazine and the Honolulu Star-Advertiser also voted the Aliʻi Lūʻau their Best Lūʻau, and Honolulu Magazine readers named the Center Best Place to Play Tourist. See every award, with a link to each official source, on our Awards & Accolades page.

We are committed to representing the Islands of Polynesia respectfully and accurately. The Mission Statement of the PCC declares that “we will preserve and portray the cultures, arts and crafts of Polynesia.” As part of that obligation, we have cultural specialists who continually guide us in the true meaning, pronunciation, and visual presentation of the various Polynesian languages, including the importance of diacritical and language-specific markers. Given the limitations of some computer platforms and browsers, diacritical marks may not always display properly. Please understand that we monitor content closely and work to correct any erroneous presentation.