Historical building with beautiful architecture and a spacious garden. It was closed today so we weren't able to enter. This is the Royal palace for King Kamehameha and other royals until 1893. This is an easy walk from the piers if you are on a cruise. The Monkey Pod trees are huge and spacious. The grounds are well kept. read more

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Palace Fact: The U.S. has exactly one official royal palace and it's Iolani Palace! Cue me and my impeccable timing. We popped by ʻIolani Palace on a Saturday, fully unaware that they close at 4:00 PM. And yes, we just missed them. Pain. Tragedy. A royal-level fumble. We had wandered over after visiting the statue of King Kamehameha I across the street, so at least the vibe was still immaculate. Even from the outside, the palace is stunning, grand, elegant, and carrying that quiet weight of history that makes you instinctively lower your voice a little. Shoutout to Nadine C. for dropping the knowledge that this is the only royal palace in the United States. Let that sink in. Not a mansion. Not a "former estate." A palace palace. A little context moment because it makes standing there hit different: This was the royal residence of Hawaiian monarchs starting with Kamehameha III in 1845, and later home to Queen Liliʻuokalani, who was ultimately overthrown and even imprisoned here in 1893. It's also the second palace built on this site, which somehow makes it feel even more layered, like history stacked on history. Today, it's a designated National Historic Landmark and honestly? I'm a little mad at myself for not planning better because I know the inside tour is going to be incredible. Guess I'll just have to come back and do it properly. Next time, we check the website and respect the hours. Lesson learned. read more

Iolani Palace - The Statue of King Kamehameha view of the Iolani Palace. - Museums Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This was an amazing experience! I took the docent tour with Kathy and she was incredibly knowledgeable, even took extra time to answer my many questions after the others left. The ladies in the gift shop were also very welcoming and made for a pleasant visit. Looking forward to returning for one of the more in depth tours soon. read more

Our stay at Prince Waikiki included free admission for two adults to Iolani Palace. We had our son with us, so we just paid $13 for one more admission. You do have to make reservations ahead of time and sometimes they fill up fast. The parking is very limited, but when we got there for our 10:30 am reservation, I saw there were still many open spots. We just parked at a structure a block away and it was pretty cheap for each hour. For all the times I've been to Oahu, I have never been here. It's a beautiful building, with a beautiful gazebo on one side. You check in at the barracks building, where they have the gift shop and clean bathrooms. They suggest you check in about 15-30 minutes ahead, but I think 30 minutes is a little excessive. I heard that they have wheelchairs available, but there's an indoor wheelchair and an outdoor one. I realized why because they give you shoe covers to put over your shoes before going in. You gather on the outdoor deck where they give you a quick orientation, and hand out the audio tour devices. It's about an hour long, and it's beautiful. There are different docents there and they can help you take pictures. Even though it is kind of a timed event, I don't think they really care if you end up spending longer in each room. We never felt rushed. All in all, learned some great history and it's just a beautifully restored building. Highly recommend going and it's close enough to a lot of downtown eating spots/coffee too if you want to grab something before or after. read more

Within walking distance of the cruise port of Honolulu, the Iolani Palace is a museum to remember and educate visitors of the history of the Royal Family of Hawaii. They have self guided tours with portable audio/video devices. My wife and I took the 45 minute tour and found that as frequent visitors to the Islands, it was the next level of tourist attractions to visit. We had intentionally not planned anything for our Oahu day, so didn't have a reservation, but it wasn't needed. We purchased tickets for two adults at the adjoining auxiliary building area ($60.55 total). This gave us wristband, and a 3:00 start time. We hurried over to the house, where with the wristband, we got booties for our shoes. We then started in the main entrance, inputting the #1 button to begin the audio on our cordless phone. Each person had their own phone, so my wife and I would finish each room at different times. We then took an elevator to the 2nd story, where we got to see the living quarters. Because the basement is currently closed for renovation (was told they were hoping for a late 2026 re-opening), our tour ended in the quilt room. This was where the last monarch of Hawaii was imprisoned, and that story was told in detail as well. 1810 - unified Hawaii, ruled by Kamehameha the Great (unifier) 1873 - with the death of Kamehameha V and no living heirs, the legislature elected a new king: King Lunalilo, the grand-nephew. 1874 - at King Lunalilo's death, the legistlature's second choice: King Kalākaua became King. He built the Iolani Palace. 1891 - On King Kalakaua's death, his sister (Queen Liliʻuokalani) became regent. 1893 - overthrown by US-backed businessman, establishing the Republic of Hawaii. 1898 - U.S. annexation read more

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Another great trip. Family was in town w/ a 1st time visiting friend. She loved hearing about the culture an history behind the palace...the things we're not told or taught in the history books. Bishop museum will be on the to-do for their next trip. read more

It was really neat to tour the palace. I highly recommend the tour if you enjoy history. My boyfriend and I did the self-guided tour; they give you a device similar to a phone that you use to learn about each room you visit in the palace. read more

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Beautiful historical landmark full of Hawaiian history. This is a must stop especially if you are a history buff. I recommend booking ahead via their online reservations. There is a set tour time and can sometimes fill up fairly quickly. An optional Iolani Palace was the royal residence of King Kalākaua and Queen Liliʻuokalani and is now a museum display many artifacts of the Hawaiian royals and culture. The palace design is called Florentine and blends in touches of Hawaiian culture through the building. There are numerous rooms to visit inside the palace all filled with furnitures, regalia, gold crowns, jewels, potraits, and even a hand made quilt. Self-led tour lasted around 90 minutes. We were provided headphones for the audio portion of the tour. This included a tour of the basement. There was a lot to see in a 90 minute window and found myself revisiting previous rooms just re-experience the artifacts. read more

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I highly recommend visiting this place! Not only it is the only royal palace in US (go figure : ) but it also tells a story of a beautiful people and culture before the American corporate greed came and destroyed the life as Hawaii knew it. I believe most tours are curated - at least I did not see any self-guided folks wondering around, but you would not want it any other way around. Make sure you book online beforehand; tours sell out quickly, but they do add a few random spots early in the morning at the opening in case someone cancels (I was able to get in this way). You can also call and make a reservation/payment this way as well. It is a beautifully preserved palace as well, though most pieces are historically accurate rather than authentic, though they do have a few originals there. The tour is about 90 minutes and it flew by. Highly recommend! read more

Iolani Palace - Museums Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Came with a special group to see the costumes with designer Iris Viacrusis. The gowns were amazing and viewing the palace with an expert in actual period knowledge/background was fantastic. read more

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The Iolani Palace is a must-see when visiting Honolulu. The guided tour was self-paced and incredibly enlightening about the history of the islands and monarchy. In addition, the collections inside are stunning. read more

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I've seen ʻIolani Palace countless times over the years, so how did I never notice this until now? I had no idea the palace was decorated with Christmas-colored lanterns. The other day, I happened to pass by the palace for the first time in a while, and that's when I finally noticed the rows of lanterns outlining the building. It truly caught me by surprise. Back in the late 19th century, when electric lights were first introduced to Hawaiʻi, ʻIolani Palace chose to illuminate the grounds using lanterns. They probably weren't as colorful as the ones we see today, but I can imagine the palace glowing brightly during Christmas, bringing festive cheer to the kingdom. When you look closely, the lanterns are actually very simple-- just like the ones you might find anywhere in Japan. And yet, as a Japanese person, they fill me with a gentle sense of nostalgia. Majestic and dignified, ʻIolani Palace still carries the legacy and splendor of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Its presence continues to symbolize Hawaiʻi's rich history. And to think that such a grand palace is decorated with humble lanterns-- that charming contrast made me smile, and warmed my heart in the most unexpected way. 毎年イオラニ宮殿を見ていたはずなのに、どうして今まで気付かなかったのでしょう。 宮殿がクリスマスカラーの「提灯」で飾られているなんて、つい最近まで知りませんでした。 先日、久しぶりに宮殿の近くを通りかかり、建物を縁取るようにたくさんの提灯が灯っているのを改めて見て驚いたのです。 19世紀後半、イオラニ宮殿に電球が普及し始めた頃、宮殿ではなんと「提灯」でライトアップをしていたのだとか。 当時の提灯は今ほどカラフルではなかったと思いますが、それでもクリスマスには宮殿を華やかに照らし、季節の雰囲気を盛り上げていたのでしょう。 よく見ると、日本のあちこちで見かけるような、何の変哲も無い提灯。 けれど私たち日本人には、ふわっと郷愁を感じさせてくれます。 堂々としたその姿を今に残すイオラニ宮殿。 ハワイ王国・栄華の時代の息吹は、今なおこの場所に確かに受け継がれています。 そんな壮麗な宮殿を飾っているのが、なんとも素朴な提灯だというギャップ。 そのちょっとした面白さと、どこか嬉しい気持ちに包まれた、、、そんな日本人の私でした。 read more

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Really had a great time with my cousins when we visited! We loved the separate narrative when the audio tour was reading letters. My youngest cousin is 12 and loved learning about history that we felt had been glossed over in the Midwest at least. read more

I joined a docent-led tour and it was a good experience. The throne room was beautiful, and it was really interesting to learn how technologically advanced the place was for the time period. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and the tour went at a good pace. read more

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This place is rich in Hawaiian monarch history. You can't just come here and walk around the palace. Although, there is a small area in the basement with some artifacts to see. If you want to get a good look inside, you will have to book a tour. They have self audio tours and a guided tour. We booked a guided tour with a docent. Our docent was super knowledgeable and friendly. I don't think we would have had as great of a time or learned as much without someone guiding us. The tour was very eye opening. I would definitely recommend visiting. read more

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I made a reservation Wednesday morning for a Wednesday afternoon time slot so some same day tickets are available. The ticket price was pretty steep about $30 a person. We got there about 10 minutes before our time slot and had no idea where to go but the entrance is on the left side in a tiny building with the gift shop and bathroom. When we go to the building they gave us shoe covers and told us no flash photography and no touching. We got these lanyards with phones and they had an option for Mandarin Chinese which was perfect. It was kinda tough on my arm to continuously hold the phone to my ear so I took breaks. The architecture and artifacts are absolutely stunning. I really liked the rugs and ceilings the most. The history is fascinating as well although I'm sure it only scratched the surface level. The basement is under reconstruction so we could not enter the basement. I think it was worth $30 but it is something I'd only do once cause once I've seen it, I've seen it. I ended up taking the 13 bus back to Waikiki and the stop is right across the street. It is $3 per person which was way cheaper than an uber which was $20. read more

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What an amazing tour of the palace! The depth of Dan's knowledge was impressive and he made our visit very special. I recommend paying the extra for the guided, small group tour. It was a one-of-a-kind experience that my family and I will always remember and cherish! read more

Participated in the guided tour at 3:30pm on a Saturday afternoon. Made reservations on the Palace website about two weeks in advance. Parked in Alii Place parking garage, and paid only $3.00 for a little over two hours. However, upon entering the Palace grounds, I was surprised that there was plenty of parking available, as well as metered parking on Richard's Street. You enter the Barracks building (see photo) to sign-in. Just show your email confirmation and they give you the entrance pass (see photo). The tour lasted about an hour and was very informative. But for me, it was sad because I firmly believe that the sovereign Hawaiian nation was illegally overthrown by an imperialist U.S. Anyhow, it's a great historical tour and reminds us of what could have been. read more

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Loved all that I saw and learned. Did the audio tour but didn't like that. Would definitely do the docent tour next time just to ask questions. Everything is beautiful and well maintained. Check in and gift shop are in the Iolani Barracks next door. read more

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This is an amazing and well preserved piece of Hawaiian history, it should not be missed. There's street parking and a parking lot in the back. They say they take walk ins but it's still a timed entry so I would just make a reservation. The audio tour is included and gives additional information that you might not already know. The inside is beautiful. No pictures are allowed in the basement but they are allowed in the main part of the palace. read more

Iolani Palace - Museums Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

The iolani palace. This place was historically and culturally rich, filled with the history of hawaii that all can see. Appreciate the attempts to preserve, recreate and display and educate. Many staff and volunteers, all were respectful, professional and helpful. The place was well run and was a great tour. read more

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Great audio tour! Perfect pacing for everyone in the fam and was long enough to feel like we got our money's worth but not too long. The history is super interesting, even for elementary school kids. You have to put on shoe covers before you go inside, and it's obviously impeccably restored. Perfect afternoon outing away from the heat of the beach. read more

Iolani Palace - Museums Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

My visit to Iolani Palace was fabulous as I enjoy history and architecture. I had taken TheBus to the government center on King Street and walked to the Palace early midweek. I didn't have tickets (which you are encouraged to purchase on line), but was able to purchase an audio tour for 12:00. Tickets, gift shop and theater are located in a small building on the Palace grounds. The theater casts historic information about Hawaiian Royalty. There is no additional charge to watch the movie and I highly recommend before a tour of the Palace. I had time before my tour to walk the grounds and take photos. There is also a museum in the basement that houses artifacts of the Hawaiian royals. The museum takes about 45 minutes to tour thoroughly and is excellent. Before the tour, a guide will provide booties (to protect rugs) and an audio headset. She provided instructions and our group of a dozen started the tour. The building is designed American Florentine and building started in 1879 and was completed in 1882. King Kalakaua and Queen Kapi'olani were the first occupants of the Palace. The Palace served as an entertaining residence to the royalty. Most of the furniture is made from local Hawaiian woods and much has been restored. The Provisional Government occupied the building after the overthrown of the final Hawaiian monarch, Queen Lili'uokalan. The Palace served as government offices for many years. Sadly, furniture and artifacts were lost. Restoration of the Palace began in 1970 and today the building is a Registered Historic Landmark. The audio goes into great detail about the contents and history of the Palace. I enjoyed the detail, but many of the younger visitors were impatient and stopped listening. There is a small parking lot at the Palace. Large bags and backpacks are not allowed inside, nor is food. There is no restaurant or food on the grounds. There is an elevator in the palace and facilities to accommodate wheel chairs. I don't think toddlers would enjoy the tour and I didn't see if strollers were allowed. If you do t buy tickets online, get there early in the day. I highly recommend a visit to this historic Palace, the only Palace in the United States. read more

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Go because you're in Hawai'i and therefore it is your kuleana, responsibility, to learn about the history and culture here. If you're Kama'aina, there's monthly free days where you can tour the palace and listen to the band and performances outside. Restrooms are shopping located in the old barracks. When you enter for tour, you'll need to sign up for a time because only a select number of people are able to enter at a time. You will be required to cover your shoes to protect the carpet and you'll be given a listening device for your tour. We were there with small children who were able to use them, very user friendly. You'll be asked to leave your water bottles at the door but no one is watching them so my husband's bottle was no longer there by the time we exited the tour. In that respect, the people on staff may want to consider another way to keep track of items. Perhaps numbering them? But to guests, note that food and drinks are not allowed so plan accordingly. The evening tours during the winter season are also very beautiful. read more

Beautifully maintained grounds with easy access to most of the pertinent rooms. A bit pricey for a one hour tour, but worth it for those interested in Hawaiian history. It's also right next door to the capital. Our docent, Kathy, did a great job explaining the history of the rooms and the former residents in a timely, concise manner. read more

Nice to learn about the history of Hawaii and loyal family. This palace was not an actual palace that king lived in it was just one of the places he stayed when he had a guess. Sadly, the basement was closed for maintenance, so I only went two floors of the palace. No taking video inside only noncommercial camera without flash. They have self-audio tour so you can choose which room you want to go, and most people just follow the room number. Overall is not bad and kids will like it but I just feel it is kind of small compared to the ticket price. read more

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What an outstanding cultural and historic place to visit, right in our own backyard! This was my first visit to ʻIolani Palace, the preserved home of the last living monarchs in Hawaii. We visited here during a kamaʻaina Sunday event, so our tour was free! We brought along our toddler and baby and were surprised at how accessible everything was. We did have to carry the stroller up the stairs to the palace, but a kind employee helped us. We were given shoe covers and a device for a self-guided audio tour. I thought my toddler would be bored to pieces, but he even got his own device and loved pressing the button and listening to the tour! We toured around the different rooms, and I couldn't help but imagine what life must have been like back then...the grandiose parties and gatherings. I felt like I was on the set of Bridgerton! They had an elevator inside to get to the top floor to see the King's and Queen's rooms, which were very elegant and interesting. Afterwards, they let us take the elevator to the basement to exit. They have restrooms down there and a small artifacts room. I wouldn't hesitate to come here again for an event or tour. read more

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The Iolani Palace is a must see for history lovers! I did the audio tour and it was very informational. Each room had different stories and designs, it was very educational and also absolutely beautiful. read more

Iolani Palace - Grand Staircase of the palace - Museums Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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If you haven't done a tour of the Iolani Palace, I highly recommend it. It's a self-paced audio tour where you're given a device where you input the room numbers and you hear about the Hawaii's history. It's so much more than seeing the home of Hawaii's last monarch. It's a must visit! read more

A must see when in Honolulu! Highly recommend the docent-led tour to get the fullest experience. Learned a lot about Hawaiian history.

A fantastic place to explore the rich history of Hawai'i's kings and queens. The beautifully preserved building is stunning inside and out, with its interior meticulously maintained. The tour was engaging and informative, offering fascinating insights into the palace's many treasures and the stories behind them. A must-visit for history enthusiasts! read more

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Check out where the royalty of Hawaii lived. 'Iolani Palace is a nationally historical site. Later it became the territorial capitol building and the state capitol building for the next several years. After that, it became an important place to honor the past and be the home of a collection of arts and other artifacts. The only bad thing is having to pay high prices. Basically this was the main residence of Hawaii's royal family. It's the only royal palace in the United States. This building was later used as a capital building for the government after annexation and whatever. A lot of familiar names associated with it. These are used as many of the street names. From King Kamehameha III to Queen Liliʻuokalani, this was a part of the Kalākaua Dynasty. The monarchy was overthrown in 1893 and the palace was used as the capitol building until the new one opened in 1969. Later the palace was restored to its original appearance. This was opened to the public in 1978. It costs about $26 for adults to get in. That seems like a lot, but it helps pay for the restoration. It had been used as a government building for about 70 years and lost a lot of its original appearance. The royal architecture had been modified into something much plainer. Funds help to continue restoring it. The building has architecture that's unique. It's known as American Florentine. The basement has an art collection and artifacts collected from the palace. On the west side is the former barracks, which is used as the visitors center. There's storage lockers here because bags and food aren't allowed inside. Also you can watch a film on the restoration and history. This helps you to appreciate it even more. Good idea to get tickets before going. It's closed Sundays and Mondays. This is a popular place for group tours. read more

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After several visits to Honolulu, I finally made the time to go visit the Palace and I'm sorry I had not visited sooner. The tour provides audio devices that gives you a history of the palace and the main events that transformed Hawaii. One such story is the annexation by the United States. I was not aware of the political shenanigans involved. The palace is very beautiful inside - Koa wood staircase. The monarchy was very interested in technology and the palace was the first in the world to have electricity. read more

The annual queen's evening tour was absolutely stunning and a beautiful experience. All the extras such as the candle lined main split stairway, coin keepsake, and live entertainment throughout was a special treat worth the price of admission. I gifted this to my two sisters for Christmas and it was an amazing evening we will all remember as a magical time together. My sister was in a wheelchair and accessibility was seamless. read more

Wedding day in Honolulu, Hawaii... My friend had her dream come true at the only Palace in the United States of America... 'Iolani Palace!! To be married at a National Historic Landmark is quite the unique and memorable experience! 'Iolani Palace was opened in 1879 and was the residence of Hawaiian Royalty until the overthrow in 1893. The grounds include the bandstand, the armory, and the Palace. As part of the wedding, guests were able to tour the first floor of the Palace for free! We covered our footwear with plastic booties and got the history of the three main rooms from knowledgeable docents! The wedding was held on the front lawn. The food was served in the armory. We dined on the back lawn with live music from two different groups! The highlight of the evening was a hula performance by the bride! This was a fantastic venue with free parking on the grounds on a Sunday! There was an appetizer station, a boba bar next to the Adult Beverages bar, and clever table assignments according to airport codes on personalized luggage tags for each guest! I'll have to return for the complete free tour for Hawaii residents on the second Sunday of each month... Kama'aina Sunday! read more

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What an amazing and tragic story of the last kingdom in Hawaii. The palace is ordinated in beauty and splendor of paintings, pictures, and tapestries. A must place to visit when in Oahu. read more

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An amazing place to experience the history of Hawaii in Honolulu. The audio tours gave us some interesting insights into the lives of royal members and the state of Hawaii from late 1770s. You will need a reservation to attend the audio tour! read more

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The Audio Tour was very nice. Such history of Hawaii and we only got a small glimpse of it. The palace is very beautiful read more

Iolani Palace - The main entrance - Museums Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Absolutely amazing Hawaiian history. We have been on this tour a couple of times years ago, but this was by far the best! Our tour guide was passionate about Hawaiian history and made it come alive for our tour. Highly, highly recommend. read more

Iolani Palace - The queen and kings coronation apparel - Museums Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Iolani Palace is a very historic place and for me it felt spiritual. From the architecture to the artifacts, they were very well preserved. Some had to be recreated to look like the originals, because time had aged it. The only palace still standing on Oahu with a rich history and a story to tell. It will give you chills. For some, it is emotional. It's also very educational, you'll walk away after your visit with more knowledge and understanding. I'd say to anyone visiting Oahu, this should be at the top of your "things to do" list. read more