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Kalākaua Legacy Tour

This tour showcases life and legacy of our last ruling King, who was known as the “Merrie Monarch” and was instrumental in the revitalization of Hawaiian culture during his reign in the late 1800s. The tour will feature historical accounts and personal items belonging to King Kalākaua to help guests better understand not only what Kalākaua achieved locally and globally, but how his tangible vision of ʻIolani Palace, continues to contribute to the Hawaiian way of life and his preservation of hula, history, and tradition.

View King Kalākaua's Coronation Suit and Masonic Apron

Reproductions of the suit King Kalākaua wore at his coronation on February 12, 1883, and his masonic apron debuted at ʻIolani Palace on the king’s 185th birthday, Tuesday, November 16, 2021. Created by historic dress designer Iris Viacrusis, the Coronation Suit stands majestically in the Throne Room, while the Masonic Apron is on display in King’s Library on the second floor.

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Welcome to ʻIolani Palace

ʻIolani Palace is a living restoration of a proud Hawaiian national identity and is recognized as the spiritual and physical multicultural epicenter of Hawaiʻi. Built in 1882 by King Kalākaua, ʻIolani Palace was the home of Hawaiʻi’s last reigning monarchs and served as the official royal residence and the residence of the Kingdom’s political and social life until the overthrow of the monarchy in 1893.

Registered as a National Historic Landmark since 1962 and the only official royal residence in the United States, the Palace is one of the most recognizable buildings in Hawaiʻi. Meticulously restored to its former grandeur, ʻIolani Palace tells of a time when their Majesties, King Kalākaua and his sister and successor, Queen Liliʻuokalani walked the grand halls.

The Royal Palace

The Palace

ʻIolani Palace has been meticulously restored to its former grandeur, featuring original palace furnishings and artifacts that have been recovered, restored and replicated. Open to the public for guided tours, the first floor consists of the public reception areas – the Grand Hall, State Dining Room, Blue Room, and Throne Room – while the second floors showcase the private suites, including the King and Queen’s suites, Music Room, and the Imprisonment Room.

Palace Grounds

While the Palace building is of great significance, the land around the Palace stretches back to antiquity and is thought to have been the site of an ancient heiau (place of worship). In 1845, King Kamehmeha III established his official residence on this site, which served the first five Hawaiian kings until its demolition in 1874. It was replaced by a larger and more modern palace was completed in 1882.

History

ʻIolani Palace tells the story of a time in Hawaiian history when their Majesties, King Kalākaua and his sister and successor, Queen Liliʻuokalani walked the halls. The Palace holds beautiful memories of grand balls and public hula performances, along with painful ones of Liliʻuokalani’s imprisonment and eventual overthrow. Following the overthrow, the Palace served as the Capitol for almost 80 years until it was vacated and restored in the 1970s.

Visit

ʻIolani Palace is open Tuesday-Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The ticket office, located in Hale Koa (ʻIolani Barracks), is open from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. To make reservations, call 808-522-0832, or book online now.

Membership

Become a member of The Friends of ʻIolani Palace and support our mission to restore, preserve, and protect this unique treasure.

Donate

Your gift is vital in supporting the ongoing work of The Friends of ‘Iolani Palace.