Culture or heritage centers are one of the standard installations of the tourism trade. While these attractions vary widely in scope and focus, they tend to have several factors in common: it’s a way for destinations to showcase their history and culture to tourists. Often this features a focus on material culture through artifacts and locally crafted goods, as well as interpretation, storytelling, unique experiences, and live performances. The execution of these centers ranges from the driest of the dry to pure brilliance.
This year’s THEA Awards has recognized one of the world’s best, the Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC), which is currently undergoing a $100 million revitalization project. The PCC originally opened in 1963 and has hosted more than 37 million guests in the last fifty years. We had the chance to speak with P. Alfred Grace, the Center’s President and CEO, about their experience and gain insights into lessons learned from this important case study that can be applied to other venues contemplating similar transformations.
It’s helpful to consider the role heritage centers play in the tourist experience. Depending on the destination, vacations are typically made up of beach days, adventure tourism, and isolated cultural experiences (think, for example, of a visit to a single historic house). But what most destinations lack is an institution that really integrates all of these different aspects of a place – historical, archeological, environmental, economic, and more – interpreted through a cultural lens. It’s also about preservation, and showcasing cultural traditions and activities that may not be accessible to your average tourist.
For the PCC, which is located on the island of Oahu in Hawaii, cultural preservation is its top mission. One aspect of the renovation has focused on the addition of an original production performed in an impressively themed theater. The project transformed an aging theater into a fully themed experience. The outer shell was redesigned to evoke an ancient volcano, including its look, feel, sound, and sensibilities in a multi-sensory experience. The design included custom rock face, paint work, waterfalls, steam vents, and lush landscaping. The queue was transformed into a lava tube, complete with flame effect lighting and deep rumbling sounds.
“Our key focus has and will always be to preserve and perpetuate the cultures of Polynesia with people from around the world in a way that’s engaging, fun and entertaining and Hawaiian Journey is an ideal example. An original production, Hawaiian Journey tells the story of native Hawaiians and their connection to the aina (land), using special customized effects that immerse guests into the experience with the smells, sounds and feel of crashing waves, powerful eruptions, and mystic valleys,” says Grace.
The project has also included extensive renovations of the on-site dining facility, The Gateway Restaurant. The buffet hall is the size of a football field. The exterior lighting and landscaping was completely redone, while the interior was refurbished with the addition of stately Koa wood columns and flame effect sconces sculpted as giant clam shells. Beneath the woven, thatch-looking ceiling, a mural encircles the entire space and depicts a Hawaiian King welcoming his royal Polynesian guests to join in feast and fellowship. “With the redesign of Gateway Restaurant, we wanted to incorporate more of the Polynesian culture into the dining experience from the architecture and color schemes to the menu,” adds Grace.
A thematic and technological redesign at this scale is not without its challenges. “Because of the make-up of visitors to Hawaii, the PCC attracts guests from all around the world. Therefore, we accepted the challenge of creating an experience that could welcome a diverse audience,” says Grace. “In the Hawaiian Journey theater, 250 of the seats that are motion-activated to give viewers a sensory experience, 211 non-motion seats were also placed throughout the theater to make it multi-functional.”
Providing a facility that is inclusive to guests with different languages and disabilities was also a major consideration. “The theater has 50 Listen Technologies Assisted Listening Devices with digital 8-channel receivers, which feed into headphones and allow guests to enjoy the film’s narration in English, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, Korean, Spanish, French, German or Hawaiian. For hearing-impaired visitors, transparent acrylic panels that superimpose captions of the film’s narration are readily available.”
The original inspiration for the transformation came from a desire to think about the future of the center, and create a visitor experience that will continue to delight in the decades ahead. “To prepare for the 50th anniversary of the PCC, which we celebrated last year, we made a commitment to breathe new life into the Center and improve both the cultural experiences and the facilities. The Center has undergone several enhancements and expansions in its first 50 years so that we can continue to provide the best experience to both new and returning guests.”
It’s been a huge success with visitors. According to Mr. Grace, “Our guests both new and returning have given us great feedback on the recent enhancements.” It’s easy to see why the PCC is a favorite with Hawaiian visitors. In addition to these two impressive recent additions, the center offers a wide range of activities. Some highlights include a luau; a themed village that highlights cultures from around Polynesia; live shows and interactive attractions with focuses as diverse as Tahitian Spear Throwing and Samoan cooking; and much more.
Mr. Grace offers some words of wisdom for other heritage centers that are thinking about their own futures. “We are proud to provide an engaging cultural experience at the Polynesian Cultural Center that combines modern conveniences and technology with our core mission. For other centers looking to revitalize, we recommend going through a comprehensive planning process that includes research, surveys, and meetings with key community and business stakeholders.”
Heritage centers represent a critical medium for destination planners to create visitor experiences that help put a wide array of cultural, social, historic, and geographic information into context. But the PCC has shown that Cultural Centers can become fully themed and actualized destinations on their own. But achieving this goal requires a light hand: there are a wide range of community stakeholders that need to be consulted to get the vision right. And that vision must be incorporated thoughtfully at every level of the project’s execution.
But as the PCC has demonstrated, it’s possible to enhance cultural sharing and learning by bringing the best technology and entertainment design techniques to bear on creating these visitor experiences. We’re delighted that the PCC’s important work has been recognized, and look forward to seeing the impact that this increased visibility has on heritage centers around the globe.
Image credits: Polynesian Cultural Center, Hawaii Tours, Sage& Surry, Wikipedia
The post How the Polynesian Cultural Center Transformed its Visitor Experience appeared first on Entertainment Designer.