Guide to Iolani Palace outside Waikiki
Iolani Palace used to be the residence of the monarchs that rule in Hawaii. The palace was built n 1882 by King Kalakaua. King Kalakaua, and Queen Liliuokalani had walked the hall of the Iolani Palace. The palace has been restored to the original condition. Tourists can take part in the guided tour to explore the first floor and second floor. In the first floor, you will find the public reception. The state dining room and throne room are located on the first floor. The King and Queen suites are located on the second floor. The music room and imprisonment room can be found on the second floor. The imprisonment room is where Queen Liliuokalani was arrested for 5 months.
The throne room is the place for holding state balls and diplomatic receptions. Many noble guests have entered into the throne room in the past. Queen Liliuokalani’s trial was held in the throne room. The blue room is located near to the throne room. In the blue room, you can observe King Louis Philippe’s portrait. The portrait of King Louis Philippe was bestowed as gift to King Kamehameha III.
In the King and Queen private suite, you will find a bedroom that features a combination of Asian and European furnishings. There is a library in the private suite. The Music Room is located in front of the private suite. It is where the royal family gathers together to enjoy the music performance. There is also a private suite for Queen Kapiolani and two guest rooms. The two guest rooms used to be occupied by Princess Kekaulike and Princess Po’omaikelani. The bedroom of the queen has much mahogany furniture. If you visit the queen bedroom, you will find that it is decorated with red curtains.
Tourists can explore the Iolani Palace by taking part in the guided tour. There are two types of guided tours you can choose from including guided our and self led tour. The cost of the guided tour is about $20 while the cost of the self-led tour is about $12. For children, the cost of the guided tour is twice times cheaper. Only children that are aged above 5 years old can sign up for the tour. There is no admission fee if you are a member of the Friends of Iolani Palace. The guided tour is available in English and Japanese language. Japanese language guided tour is available at 11:30 on weekdays.
