Stand at the corner of King and Richards Streets in downtown Honolulu and you are looking at the only royal palace on American soil. ʻIolani Palace was home to Hawaiʻi’s last two monarchs. Kings ruled from these rooms. A queen was imprisoned upstairs.
We send friends here all the time, and it still catches them off guard. The palace sits right in the business district, a few blocks from the harbor. You can walk the same halls where the Hawaiian Kingdom made its final stand.
This guide covers the 2026 ticket prices, the hours, the tour options, parking, and what waits inside. We will keep it practical so you can book with confidence and visit with respect.
Related: ʻIolani Palace: The 1893 Overthrow That Ended the Hawaiian Kingdom | Aliʻiōlani Hale and the King Kamehameha Statue | Queen Emma Summer Palace
A quick history of ʻIolani Palace
King Kalākaua built this palace to show the world that Hawaiʻi was a modern nation with a modern king. It was finished in 1882. The final bill came to about $360,000, which is roughly $12 million in today’s money.
He wanted the world to take notice. ʻIolani Palace had electric lights by 1886, before the White House did. It also had flush toilets, a telephone, and running water from an artesian well.
Kalākaua earned the nickname the Merrie Monarch. He loved music, hula, and ceremony at a time when those traditions had been pushed to the edges of Hawaiian life. He pulled them back to the center.
He thought big on the world stage too. In 1881 he became the first reigning monarch anywhere to travel all the way around the globe. His coronation came in 1883, on a pavilion built for the day on the palace lawn.
Two rulers lived here. Kalākaua reigned until his death in 1891. His sister, Queen Liliʻuokalani, took the throne after him.
Then came 1893.
A group of businessmen, backed by U.S. Marines, overthrew the Hawaiian Kingdom. The Queen gave up her power under protest to avoid bloodshed. For the full account, read our guide to the 1893 overthrow.
In 1895, after her supporters tried to restore the throne, Liliʻuokalani was arrested. She was held for about eight months in a second-floor bedroom of her own palace. She and her attendants sewed a now-famous quilt during those months, and it is on display today.
After the monarchy fell, the palace became the seat of government. It served as the capitol through the Provisional Government, the Republic, the Territory, and the young State of Hawaiʻi. That run lasted until 1969, when lawmakers moved next door to the State Capitol.
The building was worn thin by then. A long restoration followed, and ʻIolani Palace reopened as a museum in 1978. Today it stands as a National Historic Landmark and a sacred place to Native Hawaiians.
ʻIolani Palace tickets and 2026 prices
You have two main ways to see the inside: a guided tour led by a docent, or a self-led audio tour. Both cover the first floor, the second floor, and the basement galleries. Plan on 60 to 90 minutes either way.
Tickets are sold online only. There are no walk-ups and no same-day sales.
Book before you drive over.
The docent-led tour
The docent-led tour is our pick for a first visit. A volunteer guide walks you through the state rooms and the private quarters and tells the stories behind them. It runs Wednesday and Thursday mornings, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Docent tours in Japanese run Wednesday and Thursday at 3:30 p.m.
General admission is $34 for adults, $31 for teens 13 to 17, and $16 for youth 5 to 12. Kids 4 and under are free.
Hawaiʻi residents get a real break here. Kamaʻāina rates run $19.95 for adults, $15.95 for teens, and $6 for youth. Military rates land in between, at $26 for adults.
The self-led audio tour
Want to move at your own pace? The self-led audio tour hands you a 60-minute recording and lets you wander. It comes in nine languages, including Hawaiian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Spanish, French, German, Italian, and English.
It runs more days than the guided tour, from Tuesday through Saturday, though the time windows shift by day. Check the Palace hours page before you book.
General admission is $28 for adults, $23 for teens, and $13 for youth 5 to 12. Kamaʻāina adults pay just $11.95. Military adults pay $18. Kids 4 and under are free here too.
How to book your tickets
Book online through the Palace ticketing page at iolanipalace.org. You can also call reservations at 808-522-0832. Groups are capped at 15 people per entry time, so book together and book early.
Two ways to save. Hawaiʻi residents should watch for the monthly Kamaʻāina Sunday, when the Palace gives out free self-led audio tickets. Members of The Friends of ʻIolani Palace get in free all year.
A few specialty tours worth knowing
Beyond the two main options, the Palace runs smaller specialty tours on select days. They cost more and sell out faster, so plan ahead if one calls to you.
The Kalākaua Legacy Tour digs deeper into the king who built the place. The White Glove Tour takes small groups closer to the collection than a standard visit allows. The Royal Legacy Tour follows the monarchy’s story and the people who shaped it.
There is also a Japanese-language tour built around Hawaiʻi’s long ties to Japan. Check the Palace tours page for current days and prices, since these shift through the year.
Hours and the best time to go
ʻIolani Palace is open Tuesday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is closed Sunday and Monday. The ticket window in the old Barracks building opens at 8:30 a.m.
For the guided tour, aim for a Wednesday or Thursday morning. Those are the only two days docents lead tours, and the slots fill up. If your schedule is tight, the audio tour opens up more days.
Mornings are cooler and calmer downtown. We like the first tour of the day, before the midday heat settles over the Capitol District.
The Palace also closes on major holidays. In 2026 that list includes New Year’s Day, Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Lā Kūʻokoʻa, and Christmas. Check the calendar if your trip lands near one.
One heads-up for 2026: the Palace elevator is being replaced, so every floor is reachable by stairs only for now. During the work, staff cannot bring strollers or infants inside. If anyone in your group needs the elevator, call ahead before you book.
Inside the palace: the first floor
The tour moves through three levels, and each one carries a different part of the story.
You step into the Grand Hall, where a koa wood staircase climbs past portraits of Hawaiian royalty. The wood alone is worth the pause.
The Throne Room is the showpiece. Kalākaua held balls and receptions here under red and gold. It is also the room where Liliʻuokalani stood trial in 1895, inside her own home.
Across the hall sit the Blue Room, a smaller reception space, and the State Dining Room, set for a royal dinner. The Music Room rounds out the floor.
Inside the palace: the upstairs quarters
Upstairs is where the history turns personal. You will see the royal bedrooms and Kalākaua’s library, the room he used as an office. His telephone line ran from here.
The hardest room to stand in is the Imprisonment Room. This is where Liliʻuokalani spent eight months under guard. The quilt she sewed during that time rests nearby, each patch a quiet record of her captivity.
The basement galleries
Every tour ends downstairs in the galleries. This is where the Palace keeps the crown jewels, the royal orders and medals, ceremonial swords, and gifts from heads of state. You will also pass the old kitchen and offices.
Give yourself time down here. The detail is easy to rush and worth slowing down for.
The grounds you can walk for free
You do not need a ticket to walk the grounds, and they reward a slow loop. The lawn is wide and shaded by a huge banyan tree.
Look for the Coronation Pavilion, the domed bandstand where Kalākaua was crowned in 1883. The Royal Hawaiian Band still plays free concerts on the grounds on many Fridays at noon. Check the Palace events page and time your visit if you can.
Near the pavilion is a raised, grassy mound ringed by a chain. This is an old royal tomb site and a sacred spot. Take it in quietly and stay outside the chain.
The stone Barracks, called Hale Koa, once housed the Royal Guard. Today it holds the ticket window and a small shop. It is the first building most visitors reach from the parking area.
Getting there and parking
ʻIolani Palace sits in downtown Honolulu, roughly 3 miles (4.8 km) from Waikīkī. By car it is about a 15-minute drive outside of rush hour. TheBus runs downtown from Waikīkī if you would rather skip the wheel.
📍 364 South King Street, Honolulu, HI 96813
Parking on the Palace grounds is limited, and the rate is low for downtown. The pay station charges $4 for two hours and takes cards, bills, and coins. Pay for at least two hours so you are not rushing back to the meter.
If the grounds lot is full, the Aliʻi Place garage at 1099 Alakea Street runs $3 for two hours, then $1.50 for each extra half hour. Street parking exists too, but read every sign. Downtown has rush-hour tow-away zones, and the city enforces them.
Rules to know before you go
ʻIolani Palace is a sacred site, and staff ask visitors to treat it that way. Dress with respect. Shirts and closed footwear are required, and beachwear is not welcome inside. The Palace hands you shoe coverings to protect the original floors.
Photos for personal use are fine, inside and out. Flash, video, tripods, and selfie sticks are not allowed. Leave large bags, backpacks, and food in the car, since they cannot come in.
Children 4 and under visit free, though they need to be carried or ride in a Palace-provided stroller. Service animals are welcome with a heads-up to the front desk.
Make a morning of it downtown
ʻIolani Palace pairs well with the rest of the Capitol District, and most of it is walkable. Right across King Street stands Aliʻiōlani Hale, the old courthouse with the gold King Kamehameha statue out front.
A short walk away you will find the State Capitol, Washington Place, and the coral-block Kawaiahaʻo Church. The Hawaiʻi State Art Museum is close too, and it is free.
When you get hungry, Chinatown is a quick stroll toward the harbor. Our Chinatown Honolulu guide maps out the markets and the good places to eat. It turns a palace visit into an easy half-day.
How long to budget, and visiting with keiki
Give the palace about two hours from start to finish. The tour itself runs 60 to 90 minutes, and you will want extra time for the galleries and a slow walk around the grounds.
The palace works for families, with a couple of caveats. Keiki 5 and up can follow along, especially on the audio tour, which lets them pause and look. Younger ones may fidget in the quiet rooms, so the grounds make a good release valve before or after.
Keep the current stair-only setup in mind while the elevator is replaced. If you are carrying a little one, plan for the climb.
Is ʻIolani Palace worth it?
For us, yes. It is one of the few Honolulu stops we call essential. You stand in the real seat of the Hawaiian Kingdom, in the rooms where its story turned.
Book the docent tour if the schedule allows, since the guides bring the history to life. Wear closed shoes, grab the first slot of the morning, and give the basement galleries their due.
Come with respect and a little time. You will leave understanding Hawaiʻi far better than you did walking in.
Quick reference for 2026
364 South King Street, Honolulu, HI 96813. Open Tuesday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed Sunday and Monday. Docent tours run Wednesday and Thursday mornings, and audio tours run Tuesday through Saturday.
Docent admission starts at $34 for adults, with Kamaʻāina rates from $19.95. Audio admission starts at $28 for adults, with Kamaʻāina rates from $11.95. Kids 4 and under are free. Tickets are online only at iolanipalace.org or by phone at 808-522-0832.
Parking on the grounds is $4 for two hours, with the Aliʻi Place garage nearby at $3 for two hours.
More from Wanderlustyle
Keep exploring downtown and beyond with a few of our other guides. Read up on the Bishop Museum and the Pearl Harbor National Memorial. Then check the best time to visit Hawaiʻi, take in the view from the Nuʻuanu Pali Lookout, or map out a full 7-day Oʻahu itinerary for first-timers.
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