Papahanaumokuakea monument center reopening

HILO, Hawaii >> A downtown Hilo education center for the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument is reopening this month after a year of refurbishing.

The new Mokupapapa Discovery Center features a saltwater aquarium as well as new exhibits and artwork.

It will open to the public on Saturday in the historic Koehnen’s building. The new center has five times the space as the old one.

The Mokupapapa center first opened in 2003 to bring the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands to the people since most won’t ever have an opportunity to visit the remote islands.

The center hosts more than 60,000 visitors a year, including school groups, community groups, locals and tourists.