Royal Iolani Palace - Hawaiian Treasure

The Royal Iolani Palace is located in downtown Honolulu at 364 South King Street. It is accessible by car via Likelike Mall. It offers an excellent opportunity to learn about Hawaiian heritage and history. Iolani Palace was first known by the name Hale Ali`I, which translates to "House of the Chief."

King David Kalakaua, the last King of Hawaii, built Iolani Palace in 1882 in an effort to increase the prestige of Hawaii on a global level. King Kalakaua and his sister Queen Lili'uokalani, his successor, resided in the palace during their monarchy periods. During that time, the Royal Iolani Palace was the hubbub of social activity for Hawaii.

Today, Iolani Palace is considered a national treasure. In fact, ongoing restorations have brought the palace back to its original state of grandeur. Iolani Palace is open to the public from Tuesday through Saturday. Several tours are available including the Grand Tour, an Audio Tour, and a Gallery Tour.

Grand Tour

The Grand Tour is a guided tour that is offered every 20 minutes between 9:00 am and 11:15 am. Additionally, at 11:30 am a tour is presented in Japanese. The tour allows guest to visit the First Floor State Apartments, the Second Floor Private Quarters, and the Basement Exhibit Galleries. The Exhibit Galleries section of the tour is self-guided. Children under the age of five are not permitted on the tour.

Audio Tour

The Audio Tour is a self-guided tour that lasts 50 minutes. It is offered every 10 minutes between the hours of 11:45 am and 3:30 pm. The tour allows guest to visit the First Floor State Apartments, the Second Floor Private Quarters, and the Basement Exhibit Galleries.

Children under the age of five are not permitted on the tour.

Gallery Tour

The Gallery Tour is a self-guided tour through the Basement Exhibit Galleries. The Gallery Tour is offered between the hours of 9:00 am and 4:30 pm. The highlights of this tour include: Ancient Regalia, Royal Crowns, Jewelry, Diplomatic Orders, Chamberlain's Office, Palace Kitchen, and the History Gallery. Children under the age of five are permitted on the tour if accompanied by an adult.

The Iolani Palace Shop

The Iolani Palace Shop is located in the Barracks. It offers a nice selection of gift items that are related to the Iolani Palace, Hawaiian culture, Hawaiian history, and the Hawaiian monarchy. Plus, the shop also features a variety of videos, books, and jewelry. The Iolani Palace Shop is open from 8:30 am until 4:00 pm.

Special Events

Friday Band Concerts are presented on the outside grounds of the palace between noon and 1:00 pm every Friday. The Royal Hawaiian Band typically performs free concerts if the weather permits.

On the first Sunday of every month, the palace is open to Kama'aina for free tours. NO reservations are required unless your group has more than ten members. This is the only Sunday that the palace is open each month.

School tours are also available.

Additional Visiting Information

Proper attire is required. Bathing suits are not acceptable for entrance into the palace.

Booties that are worn over the shoe are provided by the palace and must be worn on the Grand Tour.

Lockers are available to store personal possessions. Large bags must be secured in the lockers before receiving entrance into the palace.

Photography, videotaping, and audiotaping are prohibited within Iolani Palace.

Notes should be taken with pencil only since pens can inadvertently cause irreparable damage to artifacts.

Cell phones and pagers are to be turned off prior to entering the palace.

Metered parking is available both on the palace grounds and on nearby streets.