PU'UNENE, Maui — The Alexander & Baldwin Sugar Museum, housed in one of only four remaining plantation-era houses left in Pu'unene, is sporting a fresh look.

The museum's front portico, with its columns and latticework, was recently repaired in part with a $5,000 grant from the Fred Baldwin Memorial Foundation. An additional $5,000 grant from the Atherton Family Foundation paid for repainting by Vincent's Painting Service.

The Alexander & Baldwin Sugar Museum contains historical and cultural artifacts, photos, documents and displays related to the sugar industry and plantation life for the various ethnic groups represented among the early workers who came from Asia, Europe and the Pacific. It is next to the Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. mill, the largest working sugar factory in Hawai'i.

At its peak in 1939, there were some 8,000 people living in 1,500 camp houses on the HC&S plantation, said museum director Gaylord Kubota. Now there are only five residents and four houses, including the museum.

"This comparison is rather mind-boggling, and underlines how important it is to preserve the museum building as well as its contents," Kubota said.

The building was built in 1902 and used as the home of sugar mill superintendents. It was turned into a museum 18 years ago and attracts 34,000 visitors annually. It was recognized by the Historic Hawai'i Foundation for preservation and adaptive use of a plantation home.

The museum will host the 4th Annual Maui Sugar Plantation Festival on Aug. 5, celebrating the island's multicultural plantation heritage through food, entertainment, demonstrations, games and exhibits. The free event will feature a rare appearance by the "Claus Spreckels" steam locomotive that was in service with the Kahului Railroad from 1882 to 1929. It is Hawai'i's oldest restored steam locomotive, according to the Sugar Museum.

Other activities include a Chinese lion dance, opening of a traditional Hawaiian imu, a "coffee and malassadas" tent with Maui-made products, and keiki games and crafts that hark back to the plantation days.

For more information about the museum or the festival, call (808) 871-8058 or e-mail sugarmus@maui.net.