Polynesian Cultural Center, located in Laie, on the northern shore of Oahu, is a living museum of the various Polynesian cultures.

Open to the public, PCC was dedicated in 1963, and is southeast of the campus of Brigham Young University of Hawaii, where most of the workers are enrolled as students.

The Center has it roots in periodic hukilau and lu'au gatherings on the beach, which were started to rebuild a local chapel belonging to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, after it had been burned. The "Hukilau Song," made famous by Arthur Godfery, was written following composer Jack Owens' visit to Laie's hukilau. PCC and BYUH are owned by the Church, as is the Laie Hawaii Temple which is located northwest of the university.

From those beginning has sprung an attraction which draws tourists from all over the world, and is considered the most popular tourist destination in Hawaii, itself one of the most popular destinations for tourism.

Visitors are able to see some of the differences and similarities between the peoples who inhabit the islands of the Central and South Pacific Ocean. The Polynesian Cultural Center is the venue for the annual World Fire Knife Dance Competition, in which contestants display their skill with blazing swords.

The Ali'i Lu'au ("Royal Feast") has been lauded as the "most authentic" Hawaiian lu'au open to the public, offering traditional Polynesian fare, including pork cooked in the "imu," an underground oven. Visitors are invited to observe the cooked pig being removed from the imu prior to the meal. Musical entertainment accompanies the feast.

PCC is also known for spectacular evening shows, such as the long-running "Horizons: Where the Sea Meets the Sky."

One thing that makes PCC unique is the student staff. Many are attending BYUH on scholarship from their native lands, and work up to 20 hours per week to earn spending money. The money which visitors pay for admission, as well as profits from food and gift sales, supports the scholarship programs which have educated thousands of students over the years. Visitors are invited to take complimentary bus tours of the university to "see where your money is going," and also the temple visitor's center.

PCC staff will proudly flash the famous "shaka" sign to visitors who offer it to them. This sign, made by extending thumb and little finger, was a unique greeting in Laie, a representation of Hamana Kalili, a local leader who had lost three fingers from his right hand in an industrial accident. While this sign has become known worldwide as a Hawaiian tradition, PCC can be considered the rightful heir of the tradition, as the first hukilau, direct ancestor to the Polynesian Cultural Center, was fed from nets provided by Kalili.

The Polynesian Cultural Center is open Monday - Saturday, but not open on Sundays, in keeping with the doctrines of the Church. The official website is at www.polynesia.com, and provides up-to-date information.