Things to do nearWar Memorial Natatorium

The War Memorial Natatorium occupies a singular place in Hawaii's history, sitting at the eastern end of Waikiki Beach where Kapiolani Park meets the sea. Dedicated in 1927, the structure was conceived as a living memorial to the more than ten thousand Hawaii residents who served in World War I, combining civic commemoration with athletic purpose in a way that was fashionable in the early twentieth century. The centerpiece is a grand beaux-arts triumphal arch flanked by colonnades, all rendered in concrete and designed to frame an Olympic-length saltwater pool fed directly by the ocean. In its heyday the natatorium attracted world-class competitive swimmers, and Hawaiian swimming legend Duke Kahanamoku was among those associated with the facility during its active years.

Over the decades the pool fell into disuse and the structure weathered considerable deterioration from salt air and deferred maintenance, sparking an ongoing and sometimes contentious community debate about restoration versus demolition. Today the pool itself is closed to swimming, but the memorial arch and surrounding grounds remain accessible, drawing visitors who come as much for the history as for the architecture.

The oceanfront setting is genuinely striking, with the arch framing views of Diamond Head in one direction and the blue expanse of the Pacific in the other. Historians, architecture enthusiasts, and those curious about Hawaii's early twentieth-century civic life find the natatorium a rewarding stop, one that quietly insists on being understood on its own terms rather than as a backdrop to the resort energy of Waikiki. Its layered identity as monument, sports venue, and architectural artifact makes the War Memorial Natatorium one of Honolulu's most thought-provoking public landmarks.