Kauaʻi Veterans Museum reopens with celebration and new murals

After being closed for four years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a renovation, the Kauaʻi Veterans Museum in Līhuʻe reopened Friday with a celebration featuring local muralist Trysen Kaneshige, whose art preserves the stories of those who served on the Garden Isle.

Kaneshige’s three murals span more than 80 feet of the museum walls, transforming the space into a living tribute to the courage and sacrifice of Kauaʻi’s service members.

The murals vividly depict the military conflicts the nation has endured, including World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Iraq and Afghanistan. They capture the hardship and enduring spirit of those who served.

“Trysenʻs murals stand not only as works of art, but enduring symbols of remembrance, respect and aloha for all who have served in the military branch of the United States,” Kauaʻi County Chair Mel Rapozo read on Jan. 7 during a meeting of the County Council at the Kauaʻi Historic County Building in Līhuʻe.

Rapozo said the council was issuing a certificate to Kaneshige for “his amazing dedication and artistic vision for contributing to the community with a remarkable set of murals.”

Kaneshige’s friends and family also attended the certificate ceremony.

Councilmember Felicia Cowden thanked Kauaʻi Veterans Museum Director Bart Thomas “for doing this for our veterans, and putting us on the map. I’m really, really thrilled with how our museum in there honors our own people here.”

While attending Kauaʻi High School, Kaneshige began creating art and painting murals, including a two-story piece titled ʻBelieve in Your Dreams, which can still be seen by the school’s library. After suffering multiple concussions from soccer during his senior year in high school, he shifted all his energy to recovery and could no longer paint.

He gradually refined his technique, painting large murals in front of his parents’ house on the island’s south side. “Painting became my therapy to heal,” Kaneshige said.

“I started getting into mural art, which is larger, more fun, more freeing and easier on the body. This is my way to heal and to help Kaua’i as far as the community art scene.”

Now a graduate of the University of San Diego, Kaneshige holds a Bachelor of Science in Graphic Design and hopes to create spaces for painting healing murals throughout Kauaʻi.

“I had a lot of head injuries, thatʻs why I paint,” Kaneshige told the council while laughing.

Kaneshige said the project was also deeply personal, inspired by his grandfather, a Korean War veteran. He partnered with Thomas to bring the murals to life.

“In the last four years, we have completely renovated the museum,” Thomas said.

“The museum was temporarily closed during Covid‑19, but that pause became a valuable opportunity for the Museum Board to undertake a major renovation.”

Donations from volunteers, The Home Depot and service rental companies provided materials and rental equipment, resulting in $150,000 in support for the museum’s renovations. Kauaʻi Veterans Museum allocated $13,000 to support Kaneshigeʻs artistic vision.

The team expanded the ceiling, installed new tile flooring, added modern display cabinets, and collaborated with neighboring island museums, which “generously helped us refine the layout and contributed remarkable artifacts,” Thomas told the council.

“With the addition of Trysen’s powerful murals to our growing collection, the museum now offers an even more captivating experience.”

Eighty percent of the items in the museum have been donated by families from the island, which is one of its most distinctive and unique features, Thomas said.

“There’s history, and not just history, but military history from Kaua’i,” he said.

On Jan. 9, community members, veterans and county officials gathered for the blessing of the newly completed mural, where Mayor Derek Kawakami also issued a proclamation.

Guests enjoyed drinks by Kauaʻi Island Brewery and a special screening of the original Jurassic Park movie.

“It’s been a whirlwind of a week,” Kaneshige said. “I had fun. There were a lot of people. My family showed up from all over the islands, and it was special because a lot of them are veterans.”

He added that all the attention is hard to believe and is very humbling, saying: “I would never have thought my murals would be acknowledged in this way.”

Kaneshige acknowledged and thanked his mentors who taught him along the way.

“I actually had to believe in myself first to be able to do this kind of mural art form,” he said. “I had 200 people from here (Kauaʻi) and O’ahu, and I want to acknowledge them as well.

“Never ever, stop believing in yourself,” he said.

Since the unveiling, his work has generated so much attention that Kaneshige and Thomas decided to fly to Oʻahu to visit the traveling Vietnam Wall, which has recently opened on the island’s west side.

“I hope to get more inspired by the visit so that I can keep creating stories and telling stories through art and painting murals,” Kaneshige said. “I like learn different things, accurately, instead of just looking through books, because it’s different when you experience or go see something for the first time.”

He also hopes to make time to visit the Pearl Harbor memorial site.

Thomas added: “We really love what he has done, and it’s going to put the Kauaʻi Veterans Museum on the map. People are going to be like, ‘Whatʻs a must-see on Kauaʻi? and I have to see this mural.’ So, thank you so much, Trysten.”

Kaneshige also holds a second contract for two additional murals inside the center.

To learn more about artist Kaneshige, his artwork, or to purchase a logo, graphic designs or T-shirts, click here.

To learn more about the Kauaʻi Veterans Museum or to donate, click here.