The Pacific Tsunami Museum (PTM) in Hilo, Hawaiʻi, has laid off all of its ten employees and reduced its operating hours as it struggles to remain open amid escalating financial difficulties. Located strategically along the Hilo bayfront, an area historically impacted by devastating tsunamis in the 20th century, the museum serves as an educational hub for both locals and tourists, focusing on tsunami awareness and safety measures. The museum also honors those who lost their lives in these natural calamities through survivor testimonies.
PTM President Cindi Preller, who has waived her salary in light of the staff reductions, informed Hawaiʻi Public Radio that the museum currently operates with the help of volunteers and docents, including herself. Preller is actively pursuing funding and investment to address the financial burden caused by a deteriorating infrastructure, including a leaky roof and a malfunctioning air conditioning system, compounded by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on visitor numbers.
Recently, the Olsen Trust, a nonprofit focusing on sustainable agriculture and social causes in Hawaiʻi, contributed $200,000 to the museum, urging other local businesses to support this cause, with repair costs estimated to reach $1 million. However, the museum did not immediately respond to Hyperallergic’s request for comments.
The museum was co-founded in 1994 by tsunami expert Walter Dudley and Jeanne Branch Johnston, a survivor of the 1946 tsunami, which claimed 159 lives. In 1997, the First Hawaiian Bank donated its historic Kamehameha Branch building to the museum, where it continues to reside. This nearly century-old building requires significant renovation due to its age.
In an interview with Garden Island, museum chairperson Carol Walker attributed the institution’s struggles to decreased admissions following the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on Hawaiʻi’s tourism, as well as the loss of key donors. Walker stressed the importance of preserving the museum’s historical significance, its educational role in tsunami science, and its dedication to promoting safety, despite the fading immediacy of tsunami memories among the public.
