Academy Director George Ellis was so busy that he was a day late in giving a Secretary's Day pikake lei to his secretary, Li Hall, who has worked at the academy for 52 years. Better late than never, he says. This will be a super-busy weekend at the academy as several thousand visitors are expected to see the floral displays.
Today is the last day for the show, which is filling the galleries with fragrance.
It doesn't look like things will be letting up for a while as the academy staff gears up for the May opening of the new Henry R. Luce Pavilion Complex, which includes new galleries, a gift shop and a cafe. The new facilities, designed by Hawaii architect John Hara, will be unveiled to the public May 13. A ho'ike celebrating the opening with Hawaiian music, arts and crafts demonstrations, games and keiki art activities is scheduled for May 19 and 20. The gallery will house the academy's renowned permanent Hawaiian art collection. The water feature also is permanent, but the sculptures, by internationally sought-after ceramist Jun Kaneko, are temporary.