Grand Hall
A sweeping koa staircase and royal portraits establish the palace's ceremonial scale and family history.
The royal residence at the heart of Hawaiian history
Iolani Palace
Walk through restored state rooms, royal suites, and the place where the Hawaiian Kingdom's final political chapters unfolded.
Open Tuesday to SaturdayReservations requiredAllow 60 to 90 minutesDowntown Honolulu
Begin with respect and context
Hawaiʻi's royal story
ʻIolani Palace is the most important place in Honolulu for understanding the Hawaiian monarchy as a modern, internationally connected government rather than a distant symbol.
King Kalākaua completed the present palace in 1882 as an official royal residence and center of political life. Its restored rooms reveal ceremony, music, diplomacy, technology, family life, and the ambitions of a sovereign Hawaiian Kingdom.
The visit also carries a more difficult history. Queen Liliʻuokalani was tried in the Throne Room and later imprisoned upstairs after the overthrow of her government. Move through the palace as a place of living memory, not simply an ornate historic house.
Choose a tour before you go
Reserve online in advance
Standard visits include the first-floor state rooms and second-floor private suites. The self-led audio tour offers flexibility, while the docent-led tour adds a live guide and discussion.
Official tours and ticketsTickets are currently sold online with reservations required. Tour type, availability, access, and prices can change.
Audio tour adult$28
Docent tour adult$34
Audio tour youth 5 to 12$13
Children age 0 to 4Free
First-visit priorities
What to see
The rooms are beautiful, but their meaning comes from the people, ceremonies, decisions, and losses connected to them.
Throne Room
The crimson room hosted formal audiences and royal events, then later Queen Liliʻuokalani's military trial.
Blue Room
An intimate reception room links portraits, furnishings, and the social life of the Kalākaua dynasty.
State Dining Room
Carved doors, crystal, porcelain, and formal settings show how the monarchy welcomed guests and dignitaries.
Royal suites
The bedrooms, library, and Music Room reveal personal interests behind the public roles of Hawaiʻi's monarchs.
Imprisonment Room
The sparse upstairs room confronts visitors with Queen Liliʻuokalani's confinement after the overthrow.
The ceremonial center
Look beyond the grandeur
The Throne Room concentrates the palace's beauty and political complexity. King Kalākaua held state balls, diplomatic receptions, and formal audiences here. After the monarchy's overthrow, the room became the setting for Queen Liliʻuokalani's trial.
Listen for political contextThe meaning of each room changes when the tour connects royal life with the events of 1893 and 1895.
Notice Hawaiian innovationThe palace expressed a globally engaged nation through technology, design, diplomacy, language, and music.
Give the upstairs rooms timeThe private suites and imprisonment room turn an architectural tour into a personal, emotional story.
Three rooms, three perspectives
Inside the palace
Reception and portraiture
Blue Room
A more intimate state room where royal portraits and restored furnishings bring the court's social world closer.
Ceremony and conflict
Throne Room
The palace's largest room carries both the brilliance of royal occasions and the gravity of the Queen's trial.
Queen Liliʻuokalani
Imprisonment Room
A restrained space with a powerful story about sovereignty, resistance, loss, and the Queen's endurance.
A thoughtful 90-minute visit
Give the story room
Arrive early enough to check in without rushing. The standard tour itself needs about an hour, while the grounds and nearby civic landmarks can extend the visit.
Before
Check in at Hale Koa
Collect or confirm your ticket, store prohibited items elsewhere, and be ready for the required shoe coverings.
Tour
State rooms and private suites
Follow the first and second floors while connecting furnishings and architecture to the people who lived and governed here.
After
Walk the royal grounds
See the Barracks, Coronation Pavilion, and palace exterior, then continue toward the State Capitol or Kawaiahaʻo Church.
Practical visitor guide
Plan the details
At a glance
- HoursTuesday through Saturday, generally 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- ClosedSunday, Monday, and listed holidays
- Address364 South King Street, Honolulu, HI 96813
- Typical visit60 to 90 minutes, plus check-in and grounds
- TicketsReserve online; tour types and times vary by day
- AttireShirts and footwear required; beachwear is not permitted
Know before you go
Current access notice: The official palace site currently says the Basement Galleries are closed for renovations and the wheelchair lift is temporarily out of service. Confirm accessibility and open areas before booking.
Pack lightlyLarge bags, backpacks, luggage, food, and beverages are not allowed inside the palace.
Follow photography rulesPersonal photos are welcome, but flash, video, audio recording, selfie sticks, tripods, and extended lenses are prohibited.
Plan carefully with childrenPersonal strollers are not permitted inside. The palace provides approved strollers, and young children must follow specific carrier or supervision rules.
Exact location
ʻIolani Palace on Google Maps
ʻIolani Palace
364 South King Street, Honolulu, HI 96813, at King and Richards Streets in downtown Honolulu.
Short drive or bus ride
The palace is in downtown Honolulu, roughly three miles from central Waikiki. Allow extra time during commuter traffic.
Often the easiest option
Bus routes connect Waikiki with downtown, while rideshare avoids limited parking and makes a one-way city itinerary simple.
Limited palace parking
The palace currently lists grounds parking at $4 for two hours. Prepay enough time and have a nearby garage backup.
Royal residence, government seat, restored landmark
A palace that carries a nation
King Kalākaua built the present ʻIolani Palace in 1882 as the official residence of the Hawaiian monarchy and an expression of Hawaiʻi's place among modern nations.
After the monarchy's overthrow in 1893, the palace served successive governments and later the territorial and state capitol until 1969. A major restoration returned the building to its monarchy-era appearance, and it opened as a museum in 1978. Today the palace is a National Historic Landmark and a living restoration of Hawaiian national identity.
Completed1882
Monarchy overthrown1893
Government use ended1969
Museum opened1978
Quick answers
ʻIolani Palace FAQ
Is ʻIolani Palace worth visiting?
Yes. It is essential for visitors who want to understand the Hawaiian Kingdom, King Kalākaua, Queen Liliʻuokalani, and the political history behind modern Hawaiʻi.
How long do I need?
Allow 60 to 90 minutes for the standard tour, plus time for check-in, the grounds, the Palace Shop, and nearby downtown landmarks.
Do I need advance tickets?
Yes. The official tour pages currently require reservations and online ticket purchase. Availability and tour types vary by day, so choose a time before traveling downtown.
Should I choose the audio or docent tour?
The audio tour suits visitors who prefer a flexible pace and multiple language options. The docent tour suits visitors who want live interpretation, questions, and a more guided narrative.
Can I take photographs inside?
Personal photography is allowed without flash. Video, audio recording, tripods, monopods, selfie sticks, and extended lenses are not permitted.
Is ʻIolani Palace accessible?
The palace normally provides accessibility information and allows service animals, but the official site currently reports that the wheelchair lift is temporarily out of service. Contact the palace before booking if step-free access is required.
Visitor details were checked against the official hours page, tours and admission guide, directions and parking page, palace room guide, and Queen's imprisonment history. Photo licenses and attribution details are included in the source package.