Friends Of The Waikiki Aquarium

Friends of The Waikiki Aquarium, a dedicated organization, strives to inspire and promote understanding, appreciation, and conservation of Pacific marine life. The corporation's mission is threefold: first, to establish, supervise, operate, maintain, and manage an aquarium, center for oceanography, and marine biological laboratory for educational purposes; second, to help people of all ages understand, love, care for, and work to protect the life of the ocean through a commitment to excellence in educational experiences, research, and conservation; and third, to engage in and support research in areas relating to the ocean, aquatic life, and matters concerning the use of ocean resources as energy resources, ocean pollution, and other aquatic-related matters.

Friends of The Waikiki Aquarium is organized to provide educational and entertaining experiences involving the oceans and their living systems, particularly as exemplified in Hawaii and the tropical Pacific region. The nonprofit designs, constructs, and maintains exhibits of living aquatic organisms and exhibits relating to the influence of the ocean on various aspects of human culture, especially Hawaiian culture. Through seminars, special programs, and classes, the organization facilitates cooperation among organizations operating aquaria and museums, people interested in the aquatic sciences and related fields, scientists in these fields, and the general public.

Additionally, Friends of The Waikikiki Aquarium provides educational programs to the general public on aquatic-related sciences and activities. They publish and distribute educational materials and utilize all modes of publication, including books, pamphlets, magazines, radio, and television production, for the provision of information of aquatic interest to various publics. The organization conducts research and teaching space on a cooperative basis to interested faculty members, undergraduate and graduate students of universities, and maintains and operates facilities for the collection, maintenance, and shipment of aquatic organisms for the provision to various departments of universities and aquaria throughout the world. They act as an informational resource for the general public, state agencies, and university students and faculty by maintaining a library and reference service in matters related to aquarium technology and the maintenance of aquatic animals in captivity. The corporation solicits and receives gifts and donations from individuals and organizations to accumulate funds for capital programs and expends principal or income or both in carrying out the purposes of the corporation.