The observatory is managed by the U.S. Geological Survey, and the National Park Service. Its purpose is to study the activity of Mauna Loa and Kīlauea Volcanoes on a permanent, scientific basis. "Volcanology" emerged as a modern science with the founding of the HVO in 1912.
The Jaggar Museum is named after Dr. Thomas Augustus Jaggar of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The museum is the fulfillment of a dream of Dr. Jaggar, a scientist who adopted the Kīlauea region as his home in 1912 and devoted his life to the study of volcanoes. As early as 1916, he proposed creating a museum to help visitors understand how volcanoes work.
The Jaggar Museum contains numerous exhibits that explain the history and behavior of Hawaiian volcanoes. More than a million and a half visitors a year tour the museum. Inside there is also a sales outlet for the Hawaii Natural History Association. The museum and gift shop are open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
