Nisei Veterans Memorial Center announces ‘The Nisei Experience in WWII’ Exhibit

The Nisei Veterans Memorial Center (NVMC) presents its upcoming exhibit, “The Nisei Experience in WWII,” curated by Shari Tamashiro, Cybrarian at UH Kapiʻolani Community College. This exhibition offers an in-depth exploration of the Nisei experience, from the years preceding the bombing of Pearl Harbor through the post-war era, shedding light on the resilience, sacrifice, and patriotism of second-generation Japanese Americans.

This exhibit will feature artifacts from the NVMC archive, providing visitors with an intimate and tangible connection to the history of the Nisei soldiers and civilians whose lives were forever changed by World War II.

Archive Director Melanie Agrabante emphasized the significance of the exhibit, saying, “We are bringing back the original display from our 2013 Education Center opening. Considering the current global situation, it’s crucial to share the stories of Maui County Nisei soldiers, as they are not just Maui stories, but Hawaii and American stories.”

The “Nisei Experience in WWII” exhibit will be on display at the NVMC’s Education Center through Oct. 30, 2025, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, Friday from 12 to 3:30 p.m.  The Center is closed on Wednesdays and holidays. This exhibit invites visitors to reflect on history, honor the contributions of the Nisei, and recognize the enduring lessons of their experiences.

For more information about the exhibit or the Nisei Veterans Memorial Center, visit www.NVMC.org or call 808-244-6862

NVMC’s mission is to ignite the potential in people by inspiring them to find the hero in themselves through the legacy of the Nisei Veterans.

The Nisei Veterans Memorial Center is a nonprofit organization that aspires to a world where people act selflessly for the greater good. NVMC owns and manages an intergenerational campus on Go For Broke Place in Kahului that serves as a home for Kansha Preschool, Maui Adult Day Care Center’s Oceanview facility, the Stanley Izumigawa Resource Center and the NVMC Education Center. To learn more, visit www.nvmc.org.