Bishop MuseumExplore

Journeys

The expeditions, reassembled

Every dated label is a diary entry. Read a collector’s labels in order and the voyage comes back: the islands in sequence, the days at each, the specimens from every stop. 2,237 journeys so far, 1874 to 2026, 440,730 specimens between them.

965 collectors and expeditions37,623 days in the field7,838,218 km between stops330,332 photographed specimens

George T. Barker

5 islands · May – Jun 1933

George T. Barker across 5 islands, May – June 1933

70 specimens · 4 stops · 31 days · 681 km

M. Nishimoto

Oʻahu · Mar – May 1945

M. Nishimoto in Oʻahu, March – May 1945

45 specimens · 9 stops · 71 days

Z. Ono

3 islands of Micronesia · Dec 1935 – Jan 1936

Z. Ono in Tonowas, Kosrae Island and Pohnpei Island, December 1935 – January 1936

70 specimens · 4 stops · 40 days · 1,256 km

Masatomi Suzuki

'Eua Island and Tongatapu Island · Nov – Dec 2000

Masatomi Suzuki in 'Eua Island and Tongatapu Island, November – December 2000

96 specimens · 7 stops · 8 days

Isa Degener

Oʻahu · Mar – May 1962

Isa Degener in Oʻahu, March – May 1962

46 specimens · 10 stops · 50 days · 319 km

E.A. Widjaja

New Guinea and Irian Jaya · 4–15 Jun 1991

E.A. Widjaja in New Guinea and Irian Jaya, 4–15 June 1991

63 specimens · 8 stops · 12 days

M. Kato

Kauaʻi and Oʻahu · 16–29 Oct 1997

M. Kato in Kauaʻi and Oʻahu, 16–29 October 1997

52 specimens · 10 stops · 14 days · 254 km

R.G. Buggeln

Tutuila and Ofu · 1–27 Aug 1964

R.G. Buggeln in Tutuila and Ofu, 1–27 August 1964

85 specimens · 9 stops · 27 days

C. Alevizos

Kauaʻi · 2–6 Mar 2026

C. Alevizos in Kauaʻi, 2–6 March 2026

117 specimens · 5 stops · 5 days

C. Corn

Kauaʻi · 1–19 Jun 1987

C. Corn in Kauaʻi, 1–19 June 1987

86 specimens · 3 stops · 19 days

Robert Hobdy

Kauaʻi · 6–19 Jun 1991

Robert Hobdy in Kauaʻi, 6–19 June 1991

94 specimens · 3 stops · 14 days

Donald P. Abbott

Maui · Aug – Sep 1976

Donald P. Abbott in Maui, August – September 1976

70 specimens · 5 stops · 15 days · 369 km

E.B. Barbon

Luzon and Olango · Nov – Dec 1991

E.B. Barbon in Luzon and Olango, November – December 1991

72 specimens · 7 stops · 15 days

Garcia

Luzon and Olango · Nov – Dec 1991

Garcia in Luzon and Olango, November – December 1991

72 specimens · 7 stops · 15 days

Maxwell S. Doty

the United States · 2–9 Jul 1944

Maxwell S. Doty in the United States, 2–9 July 1944

71 specimens · 8 stops · 8 days

J. Sand

Oʻahu · Nov – Dec 2014

J. Sand in Oʻahu, November – December 2014

56 specimens · 6 stops · 36 days · 528 km

C.E. Hartt

Oʻahu · Jun – Jul 1936

C.E. Hartt in Oʻahu, June – July 1936

65 specimens · 4 stops · 56 days · 336 km

J.C. Lindsay

Hawaiʻi Island · 21–29 Dec 1931

J.C. Lindsay in Hawaiʻi Island, 21–29 December 1931

68 specimens · 6 stops · 9 days

F. Raymond Fosberg

7 islands · May – Jun 1985

F. Raymond Fosberg across 7 islands, May – June 1985

65 specimens · 10 stops · 35 days · 36,228 km

S. Waldren

3 islands of the Pitcairn Islands · May – Jul 1991

S. Waldren in Henderson Island, Oeno Island and Pitcairn Island, May – July 1991

105 specimens · 4 stops · 72 days · 697 km

L. Visch

3 islands of New Zealand · Dec 1972 – Feb 1973

L. Visch in South Island, New Zealand and North Island, December 1972 – February 1973

45 specimens · 9 stops · 52 days · 4,993 km

F.J.M. Gaerlan

3 islands of the Philippines · Feb – Apr 1992

F.J.M. Gaerlan in Panay, Mindanao and Luzon, February – April 1992

54 specimens · 9 stops · 62 days · 973 km

J.W. Coulter

Hawaiʻi Island · 21–31 Dec 1931

J.W. Coulter in Hawaiʻi Island, 21–31 December 1931

71 specimens · 5 stops · 11 days

D.E. Yen

3 islands · Jul – Aug 1969

D.E. Yen in Futuna Island, 'Alofi Island and Molokaʻi, July – August 1969

139 specimens · 2 stops · 7 days

How a journey is found

Every specimen with a full date and a known collector is a diary entry. The days are read in order; a gap of more than three weeks ends one journey and starts the next. Days spent where a collector lived most of their life are home, not travel, and are left out.

A journey needs at least five days, forty specimens and two places. Within it, a run of days spent within about ten kilometres is one stop; the stop’s point is the middle of the labels that carry coordinates, or the island’s centre when none do.

Companions are the people whose own labels put them in the same place on the same days. Staff can name a journey, write about it and feature it; everything else here is read straight off the specimens, and is rebuilt as the records improve.