Although ʻIolani Palace had a relatively short lifespan of just 48 years, it holds the very special distinction of being the only royal palace in the United States. Originally built in 1845 by Kamehameha III, the 3rd King of Hawaii, it served as the center of royal life through the reign of Hawaii’s last monarch, Queen Liliʻuokalani. Sitting smack dab in the middle of downtown Honolulu on Oʻahu, directly across from the King Kamehameha V Judiciary History Center and the statue of King Kamehameha V, ʻIolani Palace is a sight to behold. Truthfully, it may not rival the grandeur of most European palaces, but it’s nonetheless an impressive and beautifully preserved piece of Hawaii’s history.
Originally built as a traditional aliʻi residence (a chief or chiefess residence), ʻIolani Palace was intended to only serve as a ceremonial space and did not contain any sleeping quarters. The original building consisted of a throne room, reception room, and state dining room. King Kamehameha III slept in a grass hut next to the palace, while King Kamehameha IV built a separate house on the east side of the grounds. It wasn’t until the reign of King Kamehameha V that sleeping quarters were added to the palace, transforming it into more of a residential home. However, despite the addition of bedrooms and bathrooms, most of Hawaii’s kings and queens continued to only use the palace primarily for receiving foreign dignitaries and hosting state functions, while preferring to sleep in their private homes elsewhere on the palace grounds.
While the original ʻIolani Palace was a relatively simple building, King David Kalākaua decided to undertake a monumental renovation after the palace had fallen into poor condition due to extensive termite damage. Completed in the unique style known as American Florentine, the new palace featured architectural elements unlike anything else in the world, including a magnificent grand hall staircase made from koa wood.
One of the most historical (and dark) chapters in ʻIolani Palace’s history was the imprisonment and trial of Queen Liliʻuokalani. Following the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy in 1893, troops took control of the palace grounds, and the newly established Provisional Government of Hawaii moved its government offices into the building, renaming it the “Executive Building for the Republic of Hawaii”. During this period, Queen Liliʻuokalani was imprisoned inside the palace in a small room on the second floor.
Today, the room is known as the Imprisonment Room, or Quilt Room, named for the large handmade quilt the Queen worked on to pass the time. Her trial was later held in the palace’s former throne room. Facing the threat of execution, Queen Liliʻuokalani was ultimately forced to formally abdicate the throne. She spent the remainder of her life as a private citizen, although she continued to advocate for the restoration of Hawaii’s sovereignty.
Located at 364 S. King St. in Honolulu, Hawaii, ʻIolani Palace is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9AM to 4PM and closed Sunday and Monday. The palace is also closed on major holidays. Docent-led tours are offered on Wednesdays and Thursdays, with admission priced at $34 for adults (18+), $31 for teens (13–17), and $16 for youth (5–12). On all other days, self-guided audio tours are available, with admission costing $28 for adults (18+), $23 for teens (13–17), and $13 for youth (5–12). Children under four are free every day, and discounts are available for military members and local residents. Tours can be booked online in advance, which I highly recommend. The palace limits the number of visitors allowed inside at any given time, so if you purchase your ticket in person on the day of your visit, you may end up waiting several hours for an available spot.
I booked the 9AM time slot, and I highly recommend arriving at least 15 to 20 minutes before your scheduled entry time. You’ll first need to make your way to the old ʻIolani Barracks, located to the left of the palace, to check in and receive your entry card. This is also where you’ll find the bathrooms, a 15-minute introductory video, and the gift shop. Visitors are then asked to line up at the back of the palace at least 5 to 10 minutes before their scheduled entry time. From there, staff will take you up the stairs to the back porch, where you’ll receive a brief overview of the rules, shoe covers, and your audio guide, followed by an introductory recording. Once everything is done, you’re allowed to enter the palace.
Once inside, you are required to listen to audio tracks 1 and 2 together in the entryway at the base of the staircase, which provides a brief introduction to the palace and the various royals who lived there. After that, you’re free to explore the palace at your own pace and leisure. A numbered route is laid out for you to follow, but there’s nothing that necessarily requires you to stick to it, albeit it’s strongly suggested. One thing to keep in mind is that the palace is very strict about where visitors can and cannot go, what they can and cannot touch, where they can and cannot sit, and where they can and cannot stop. I was scolded for stopping on the staircase to take a photo. Staff members are constantly monitoring (in person and via camera), so if you think you can get away with breeching any rope barriers or wandering somewhere you shouldn’t, think again.
The palace consists of three floors: the main floor, second floor, and basement. The main floor includes the Grand Hall, Throne Room, Blue Room, and State Dining Room. The second floor includes King Kalākaua’s Suite, Queen Kapiʻolani’s Suite, the Music Room, King’s Library, and Imprisonment Room. The basement houses the kitchen, service and staff areas, and administrative workrooms.
Typically, all three floors are open to visitors. Unfortunately, I happened to visit while the basement was undergoing renovations, so I couldn’t see it, along with the display cases, recovered artifacts, and historical maps housed there. According to an employee I spoke with, the renovations are expected to be completed by the beginning of next year, so she told me I’ll just have to come back!
Overall, while I greatly appreciated the opportunity to visit the only royal palace in the United States, truth be told, it simply did not compare to the grand and opulent palaces I’ve visited throughout Europe. If you’ve visited some of those palaces before, you might leave ʻIolani Palace feeling a tad underwhelmed. That being said, I still strongly recommend visiting ʻIolani Palace if you ever find yourself in Honolulu. It’s an incredibly important piece of Hawaii’s history and deserves both recognition and appreciation. It took me about an hour to tour the top two floors, so I suspect the full experience with the basement included would take around 1.5 hours. We’re planning to return to Oʻahu in December 2027, so if I have the time, I absolutely plan to come back and finish the tour!
