If you're in London and wondering what's new on the museum front, then 'Hawai'i: a kingdom crossing oceans' could be worth pencilling into your plans this winter/spring. It's the first big-ticket show of 2026 at the British Museum, opening on 15 January and running until 25 May.
Rather than a glossy take on island life, this exhibition digs into the history and artistry of Hawaii, bringing together everything from ancient feathered cloaks worn by chiefs and other finely carved treasures, to shark-toothed weapons that look like nothing you've seen before.
The narrative thread here centres around a momentous (and ultimately tragic) real-life journey. In 1824, King Liholiho and Queen Kamāmalu made a diplomatic visit to London that marked a turning point in Hawaiian history; both contracted a fatal illness there more than 200 years ago – a story the exhibition revisits through objects, art and firsthand accounts.
What sets this show apart from a typical culture on display affair is how it mixes objects from across the globe with contemporary works by Kānaka ʻŌiwi (Native Hawaiian) artists, aiming to foreground indigenous voices and perspectives. The result doesn't ooze hype, but it doesn't shy away from complexity either – there are dazzling feathered pieces and god figures, sure, but also moments that make you question how such objects came to sit in a London gallery in the first place.
It's an exhibition that has something to surprise history buffs, design lovers, and anyone in London this spring looking for something a little different to dive into, running at the British Museum from 15 January to 25 May.