The Kilauea Visitor Center and gift shop at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park will close at 5 p.m. on Feb. 17, 2025, to undergo a two-year-long renovation, according to park officials.
Park rangers and the Hawaii Pacific Parks Association store and staff will continue to serve park visitors, then a few days after KVC closes, they will move to Kilauea Military Camp’s Koa Room where a welcome center and gift shop will be available to park visitors throughout the construction period. KMC is located 1.2 miles west of KVC and parking will be available at the ball field.
The national park is undergoing a two-year-long construction project to repair, improve and remove damaged buildings and infrastructure at the summit of Kilauea and includes the removal of Jaggar Museum and USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory buildings at Uekahuna that has been completed; construction of a new roundabout near the park entrance; construction of a new USGS HVO field station; and the temporary closure and complete renovation of the Kilauea Visitor Center and restrooms. The KVC restrooms, sidewalks, water station and half of the parking lot will unavailable during the project.
Volcano House and the Volcano Art Center Gallery will remain open, according to park officials.
Hawaii Pacific Parks Association is a nonprofit partner supporting Hawaii and American Samoa national parks that manages the gift shop.
“Change, like the ever-evolving landscape of Kilauea Volcano, brings new opportunities,” said Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Area Manager Al Galiza in a news release. “We are excited for the upcoming partnership with KMC and look forward to continuing to provide our visitors with memorable keepsakes of their time at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.”
Proceeds from the store contribute to the park’s preservation, education and interpretation initiatives. People can also visit HPPA’s online store to support Hawaii’s national parks.
“HPPA is excited about the KVC remodeling project as we know the updated facilities will result in an expanded interpretive product line and an enhanced visitor experience,” stated Executive Director Mel Boehl. “Mahalo nui to KMC and NPS for their partnership in finding a good solution for a temporary visitor center and park store. The use of the Koa Room at KMC will allow us to provide the same level of high-quality interpretive products and visitor services as we have done at the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Visitor Center for the past 90 years.”
Some ranger programs will continue, but programs such as After Dark in the Park and Nā Leo Manu will be suspended until Kilauea Visitor Center reopens in roughly two years.
Visit the HAVO website for park construction updates.
Sarah Yamanaka covers news and events for Spectrum News Hawaii. She can be reached at sarah.yamanaka@charter.com.