Honolulu’s Chinatown is a fascinating place where you can find eastern treasures and trinkets, unusual fruits and vegetables, pig heads, live frogs and more. But when was the last time you took some time to appreciate Chinatown’s historic buildings?

Here’s a chance to learn more about the structures of this historic part of town, from an architect’s perspective, as The Honolulu Chapter of The American Institute of Architects celebrates Architecture Month in Hawaii with a series of free events in April.

“The events are designed to foster local awareness of our built environment so that we may continue to enjoy our island lifestyle,” says architect Louis Fung, of Fung Associates. Fung serves as AIA Honolulu vice president and chair of the 2012 Architecture Month celebration.

As part of the celebration, the public is invited to join in a free Great Chinatown Walking Tour, led by AIA architects, on Saturday, April 14. Tour times are set by advanced registration.

The free tour is a specially organized event to be held by the AIA Honolulu on this day only, and is not the same as the downtown tour offered by the AIA Honolulu on other Saturdays for $10.

The two-hour tour covers a distance of approximately two miles. Tour leaders will point out architecturally significant historic buildings and areas in downtown Honolulu’s Chinatown and surrounding areas.

Comfortable shoes, sunscreen and hats are recommended and walkers are encouraged to bring water and snacks.

To register for the walking tour or find out more about other free Architecture Month events, go to aiahonolulu.org