Iolani Palace - The Last Hawaiian Royal Residence
Rebecca Jones
7.20.21
Iolani Palace, located in downtown Honolulu, was the home of Queen Liliuokalani of Hawaii, until the monarchy was overthrown in 1893 by supporters of the American Minister to Hawaii. It was then used by the provisional government, then the state government, and finally restored to its former grandeur in the 1970s. Guests can now take self-paced audio tours of the palace on certain days of the week. Admission is around $20 per person.
Guests enter the palace and are immediately in the Grand Hall. Your audio tour begins here, with a history of the royal family of Hawaii. Their portraits are hung around the top of the room. The guide tells you about each ruler, their family, what they accomplished during their reign, and when they ruled.
Everyone is able to tour the palace as they’d like, but it helps to start in the grand room. To protect the carpet on the staircase, guests are asked to take the elevator to the second floor, but there really isn’t a room that’s off-limits.
Just off the Grand Hall is the Throne Room, which was my favorite. The gorgeous red drapes along the walls offset the gold trim on the two thrones, one for King Kalakaua and one for Queen Kapiolani. Official receptions, parties, and formal balls were held in this room, and now there are displays of crowns and ballgowns from royalty throughout the years.
On the first floor, guests can also find the Blue Room, where smaller receptions were held, and the formal dining room. In the dining room, you can see gifts from, and portraits of, leaders from France, Prussia, Great Britain, and Russia along the outer walls.
Taking the elevator to the second floor, visitors will find the music room and the bedrooms. In the music room, you’ll find books and sheet music, as well as phonographs for listening to music. The King’s Office is next to the music room. The artifacts, medals, and letters displayed in this room belonged to King Kalakaua. The large, oversized desk is in the center of the room, with chairs along the outer walls. Next door, you’ll find the King’s bedroom. Of note in this room is an embroidered blanket on his bed, as well as one of the earliest telephones in the country.
Across the hall, guests can visit the queen’s bedroom. Here, visitors will see mainly reproductions of the queen’s bedroom suite since most of her original furniture was sold or destroyed when the monarchy toppled.
Lastly, there is the imprisonment room. The Iolani Palace website has a good summary of what happened, and the significance of this room. “Queen Liliuokalani succeeded her brother upon his death on January 20, 1891. She was determined to strengthen the political power of the Hawaiian monarchy. Her attempts to affect change caused great opposition from the Committee of Safety, who later orchestrated the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy and the establishment of a provisional government with support of the American Minister to Hawaii.
In 1895, an unsuccessful attempt by Hawaiian royalists to restore Queen Liliuokalani to power resulted in the Queen's arrest. She was forced to relinquish all future claims to the throne and was put on trial before a military tribunal in her own throne room. Liliuokalani was convicted, fined and sentenced to five years in prison at hard labor, which was later reduced to imprisonment in an upstairs bedroom of the Palace for nearly eight months.”
In this room, there is a quilt on display under glass. Queen Liliuokalani and her attendants hand-sewed this quilt during her imprisonment, and it remains at the palace for all to see.
My family visited Iolani Palace in 2020. It’s a great place to visit for history buffs, those who want to learn more about the Hawaiian culture, or if you’re looking for a unique indoor activity during a rainstorm.
If you are looking to visit the Hawaiian islands, please contact me. I’d love to share my experience with you. I can be reached at Rebecca@wishesfamilytravel.com or (325) 733-8399.