Take a Tour of Iolani Palace in Honolulu
It is the only royal palace in the United States. It tells the story of the Hawaiian royal family. In its day, it was one of the most modern buildings found in the U.S. and all of the world. And it tells a sad story of illegal occupation and overthrow. Take a tour with us to Honolulu’s Iolani Palace.
What is Iolani Palace?
The Iolani Palace is the former Oahu residence of the Hawaiian royal family. The palace, built in 1882 by King Kalakaua, served as the seat of government for the Kingdom of Hawaii until the monarchy’s overthrow in 1893. It was the official residence of King Kalakaua and his successor and sister, Queen Liliuokalani. The palace is a National Historic Landmark. Today, you find the Honolulu City Hall and Hawaii State House nearby.
The Iolani Palace is the only former royal palace in the United States.
The palace served as the seat of the U.S. provisional government after the overthrow in 1893. During this time, many of the furnishings and palace goods were sold at public auctions. Iolani Palace was restored to its original opulence in the 1970s after being abandoned. A painstaking restoration took place, in which furnishing and palace goods were either restored or recreated.
Today, the palace preserves the grandeur of the final days of the Kingdom of Hawaii.
Touring the Iolani Palace
The site is open for tours year round. You can participate in a self-guided audio tour or book a guided tour of the grounds. There are additional tours available, including a white-glove tour of the residence.
Proper clothing must be worn during tours. Bathing suits and beach attire are prohibited, as is clothing with profanity. Shoes and shirt are required. The staff provides booties to wear over your shoes within the palace.
Pictures are allowed during the tour. However, flash photography and videotaping and audio recording are prohibited. Additionally, selfie sticks, tripods, and extended lenses are forbidden.
Self-Guided Audio Tour
I opted for the self-guided audio tour. While on the tour, my group ran into a guided tour and we all eavesdropped as the tour guide told of Queen Liliuokalani’s imprisonment in the palace (more on that later).
The tour took approximately one hour. The audio recording told about the history of the palace and the royal family as we made our way through the various rooms. We entered almost every room and ascended and descended the main staircase.
Inside the Palace
Before our tour started, we met on the lanai and were given basic instructions about our audio devices. I was in a group of about 20 people. We entered the museum, and while allowed to take the tour at our own pace, we primarily walked through the rooms in unison.
Grand Hall
The front doors opened into the Grand Hall, with the showcase Hawaiian Koa wood staircase in the center of the palace. Throughout the Grand Hall we found 10 paintings of the Royal Family, beginning with King Kamehameha, who unified the islands in the late 18th Century.
Blue Room
The Blue Room, across the hall from the Throne Room, was used for more informal, smaller receptions. The room has portraits of King Kalakaua and Queen Liliuokalani, painted by American portrait painter William Cogswell.
Of special note is the rosewood piano in this room.
State Dining Room
From the Blue Room, we entered the State Dining Room, with floor to ceiling windows and Parisian porcelain and crystal.
King Kalakaua had traveled around the world in 1881. He used this room to display the cultural and artistic masterpieces he appreciated.
Music Room
The royal family were music enthusiast, writing and playing music. This second floor room was painstakingly restored from hundreds of black and white photos. It is also called the Gold Room, for the drapes and upholstery.
King’s Room
The private residence is on the second floor. It has American, European, Asian, and Hawaiian furniture.
King’s Office
Next to his private room ay the king’s office and library, where Kalakaua spent most of his time.
The king had great interest in modern technology. The office had the first electric lights and telephone in Hawaii. It was the only telephone and electric in the Kingdom of Hawaii. Not coincidentally, Hawaii Electric headquarters are near the palace.
Queen’s Room
Queen Liliuokalani’s room is furnished with mahogany furniture and red draperies. Unfortunately, most of her furnishing were sold in public auctions. The Friends of Iolani Palace still seek the original furnishings, and hope to restore those to the palace.
Throne Room
The throne room is the largest room in the palace. It was the formal meeting room of the King and Queen. The room has the thrones of the royals, although both Kalakaua and Liliuokalani preferred to stand and greet their guests.
The throne room also served as the site for the kangaroo court trial of the Queen in 1895. The deposed Queen was convicted on trumped up charges and forced to an 8-months imprisonment in a room directly above the grand throne room.
Imprisonment Room
This is the room where the Queen was held for eight months. No visitors were allowed. Liliuokalani was attended by one female companion.
During this imprisonment, the former Queen spent time in prayer, reading musical compositions, and crocheting and quilting. A quilt designed by her rests as the centerpiece of this room.
Basement Museum
I arrived very early for my audio tour, which allowed me the opportunity to peruse the museum displays in the basement of the palace.
The galleries highlight more of the history of the Kingdom of Hawaii and the royal family. Included were galleries concerning Queen Kapiolani, the consort of King Kalakaua, who was instrumental in health and care of native Hawaiians. She established the Kapiolani Home for Girls, for the education of the daughters of the Kalaupapa leprosy settlement on Molokai. She also founded the Kapiolani Maternity Home, for the care of newborns and their mothers.
In addition, I discovered many palace jewels and adornments.
Final Thoughts
I would argue that a tour of the Iolani Palace is a must-do activity on Oahu. It is a stunning residence.
But, more importantly, you will learn a lot of history about the Hawaiian Kingdom and the illegal takeover of the kingdom. I am not going to discuss the political history here. I will, however, let you know that Hawaii has a troubled relationship with the United States. And, I do think it important that visitors to the islands learn a little about those tensions. Everyone visiting Hawaii from the U.S. should have some basic knowledge of that history.
The Iolani Palace tour gave me a deeper appreciation of the troubling history between the United States government and the Hawaiian Kingdom. We cannot turn back time and right past wrongs. But understanding those events, I would argue, are critically important for a tourist or visitor to the Hawaiian Islands.
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