Moanalua Gardens is an inspired place. Unlike the more popular Instagram-worthy tourist destinations in Hawaii, Moanalua Gardens lies on the backside of the infamous and instafamous Stairway to Heaven Trail. The gardens capture a history and preservation not immediately obvious to its visitors. Its story is complex and challenges the very notion of the “tourist destination”. 

In this studio, we will research how the garden captures the essence of its history and preservation to offer a new take on the tourist destination. We will uncover hidden stories, sites, and histories of this sacred site to inform the way tell the other side of lost narratives. Following site visits, interviews and analysis, each team will design and execute “storytelling methods” that engage with visitors in a unique and interactive way. We will reveal something about the former and make connections to the current as the Un-Tourists of Hawaii.