Iolani Palace
The only royal palace on American soil, built for the Hawaiian kingdom in 1882 and wired for electricity before the White House.
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Kalakaua had the palace built between 1879 and 1882 in a style the kingdom called American Florentine, and it was equipped to a standard most of the world had not reached: electric lighting installed in 1886, telephones, and indoor plumbing - the electricity predating the White House by several years. After the overthrow of the kingdom in 1893, Queen Liliuokalani was tried and then confined in an upstairs room here for about eight months, where she worked a quilt that is still displayed. The building later served as the territorial and then state capitol until 1969, which stripped the interiors; much has since been recovered and returned. The grounds are open free.
What you actually see
- A palace of 1882 - electric light from 1886, before the White House.
- The imprisonment room - where Liliuokalani was confined in 1895.
- Her quilt - worked during that confinement.
- Recovered furnishings - much was dispersed during the capitol years.
When to go
Year round; closed Sundays and Mondays. Two hours.
Honest expectations
Entry is by timed tour and shoe covers are required inside. Tickets sell out in season. This is a site of a contested overthrow and is presented from the kingdom's perspective. Photography inside is restricted.
Nearby
The Hawaii State Capitol is adjacent; Chinatown is a short walk west.
What to pack for Iolani Palace
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
