This was our second visit to Iolani Palace. This time we took the audio guided tour. The audio was very well done. The staff was friendly, but it was confusing where to start the tour. We had to go to the building that houses the gift shop and restrooms to check in and all parties needed a temperature check. The Palace itself is stunning. I would recommend this as a place to visit and I would recommend the audio tour to learn more about Hawaiian history. read more

I always liked hawaiian studies in school because of the fact that you can be standing present day where something very historic and important happened many many many years ago..Iolani palace was always so interesting to me knowing our royalty lived there..so many stories to be told and also ghost stories too..went on a couple tours while in school and a free one recently when it was the queens birthday..my kids liked it too which was very cool..we pasted by lastnight and it looked so beautiful with the hawaiian flag draped over the main entrance but we have no idea why it was liked that. read more

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The palace is worth visiting! We went in June, weather was nice- there is shade to enjoy! Great Hawaiian history. The staff were helpful, accommodating and friendly. read more

Iolani Palace - Museums Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Aunt Gladys was an incredible guide and really made the experience for us. Her storytelling abilities and knowledge is inspiring, and her patience and humor with the group was appreciated. Iolani Palace is an important part of Hawaiian history. We are thankful to everyone who has helped preserve its history and for making it accessible so that more people can educate themselves on its significance today. The warm welcome by all staff members was great too. We highly recommend the guided tour; be sure to book tickets in advance. And also keep in mind that it's more than a "museum", and is a sacred space deserving our care and respect. Mahalo! read more

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The Iolani Palace docent led tour was one of the highlights of our visit to Honolulu. Our docent was incredibly knowledgeable of Hawaiian history and culture. We learned so much during our tour. The Palace itself is beautiful, but the true gem was our docent who did an amazing job. We would highly recommend the docent led tour to anyone wishing to learn a bit about Hawaiian culture and history. read more

Very informative and our tour guide Cindy was wonderful. Would definitely recommend the guided tour to understand all the Hawaiian cultures and artifacts in the beautiful palace. read more

I've visited Honolulu about three times and didn't know about the palace tour. It was so informative and I love learning about history. Our docent was charming and full of knowledge. Definitely recommend for anyone wanting to learn about Hawaiian royalty and history. read more

What a tribute to the Hawaiian culture and history. The ladies and gentlemen were knowledgeable and very helpful. The tour was perfectly set up with the listening devices. read more

Beautiful royal palace is presented with a fascinating history of the times prior to and after the end of Hawaiian royal reign. The furnishings, the outfits, and architecture and the stories of the personal lives of the last King and the last Queen expertly told in the docent led tour. read more

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Visiting the Iolani palace is a historical experience and I would recommend it to anyone. The attendants were very friendly and helpful. The only one I could suggest is that they improve their gift shop with Hawaiian low cost interesting Hawaiian products that the masses can afford. read more

nice place to learn some Hawaiian history. For entrance you have to do an audio tour which lasts ~1 hour. If you're in the area it's nice to check out but dont go out of your way read more

The palace is a neat space. It was great to hear about the history of Hawaii and how it became a state. A sad tale, really. There is a strong Hawaiian culture still going, which I think is wonderful. I recommend seeing the palace. It will allow you to feel better connected to the people of Hawaii and it's rich history. The Royal Hawaiian band plays for free on a specific day, just outside the palace. I believe it is on Fridays... double check before you head there. read more

If you haven't visited the only royal palace in the United States, you should. It is beautiful and understated. They have taken great care to protect the palace and its artifacts as well as keeping it safe and open for visitors. We went on a 10 person maximum self tour. There are still dedicated docents staged around the palace ready to share their wealth of knowledge and love of Hawaiian history. What a treat as a local to see it uncrowded and with front row parking. read more

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Why did I wait so long?!?! I've wanted to tour Iolani Palace for many years, but fellow travelers weren't interested. Well, I finally went during my solo Hawaiian Islands escape. I opted for the self-guided tour which is certainly the way to go! Half the price of the guided tour and at least twice as long. While there, you may run into guided tour groups. Tip...If desired, listen in to get additional details not available with the multilingual headsets. Headsets are included with the self-guided entry. Tip #2...Be sure to view the film shown in an air-conditioned building right across from the ticket purchase building. Film was very informative and prepared me well for the self-guided tour. It's short enough that the kids probably won't get too antsy. I walked along with the pace of the audio recordings on each floor of the palace and then went back to selected rooms to view again. What is 45-minutes as a guided tour took me about 2.5 hours on my own. I spent time walking the grounds and revisiting particular areas of interest. For anyone who is remotely interested in history, this is a must-do. I'm nowhere near classification of a history buff and I loved it!! Iolani Palace receives a High five!!!! read more

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Iolani Palace is walking distance from Marugame Udon. We walked from Chinatown after having dim sum to Iolani. The place is fully reserved for the tour but allow guests to buy only the basement self tour ($5 adult $3 for 12 or under). We can watch the 15 minutes loop video before going to the basement. It is nice to know a little bit history of Hawaii Kings and Queens. read more

It's great that this place keeps the legacy of the Hawaiian monarchy alive! Audio-led tour is great and I highly recommend it, especially if you want to save money compared to the other tours. read more

Whether you are a kamaaina or a visitor, 'Iolani Palace is a MUST SEE. Do the audio tour and take your time. There are so many details and important cultural artifacts to take in, while you listen to the story of the kinds and queens of Hawaii. The first royal residence to have electricity, `Iolani Palace is a powerful symbol of how modern and respected the Hawaiian Kingdom was. read more

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Getting to the palace can be a pain with all the one way streets and traffic. It is right next to the state capital. Importantly, this palace showed an independent nation before being overthrown. It is the only royal palace on American soil. I learned a lot today and saw a lot of beauty preserved. The audio tour was pretty good. Booties have to be worn and no strollers were allowed inside. Strollers were supplied at no additional cost. The employees were friendly. They had quite of bit of security outside and inside the palace. I could tell this place meant something to the employees. It seemed liked they cared as if it was their home showing guests around. read more

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I was born and raised in Hawai'i (Oahu) but it always gives me chills whenever I visit the palace. Brings me happiness and sadness but I think the tours they do to educate those who want to learn about the truth and what happen to the Hawaiian people is great. My tour guide Kathy was very knowledgeable about the palace and she answered all of our questions. I highly recommend the docent led tours! read more

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A must do for any resident and traveler to Hawai'i. More than beaches and luaus, Hawai'i's history is intriguing and passionate, and 'Iolani Palace is one of the places to experience it as the only royal palace on American soil. Audio tour takes less than an hour, and the artifacts and palace itself are incredibly enchanting. Photos (no flash) are permitted and the staff are all welcoming and informative. read more

Iolani Palace - Museums Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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A must see for anyone that lives or visits Hawaii. The restoration progress is amazing to see, and the information they present is enlightening. read more

This is a beautiful piece of Polynesian history. It was definitely a sobering experience. Though unfortunate, I am happy that I was able to hear the story and end of this monarchy. The palace is beautifully preserved and so has the history of these kings and queens. Worth the visit. read more

I have been to Hawaii several times, but only learned about the palace this trip from my son. We booked an audio tour, and I was blown away. The palace is beautiful, the staff was friendly and welcoming, while answering questions. The history and background of the Hawaiian monarchy was amazing to learn, and I highly recommend everyone visit this gem of a palace. read more

The Iolani Palace, the only royal palace in the United States, is a must see and my whole family agrees. My wife and our crew (3 boys - 17, 16 and 12) enjoyed learning about Hawaii's royalty, the palace and some history of the islands, including the US colonization and overthrow of the royals. The guided audio tour was informative and the exhibits are full of absolutely exquisite artifacts. Having taken the tour, it is clear that Iolani Palace is no less a must the US Arizona Memorial. read more

Iolani Palace - Throne Room - Museums Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

If you like history you will enjoy this tour. The docents are volunteers and it's great they are willing to spend their time conducting tours. Of course your experience will be influenced by the tour guide you get. Our guide was very soft-spoken and had low energy which was a challenge for my husband. It was interesting to see the inside of the Palace and hear about the history. read more

Iolani Palace - Prepping for the tour - required booties - Museums Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Our visit to Iolani Palace was wonderful! We learned so much about the history of the palace and Hawaiian royalty. We took two tours - the Chamberlain's tour and the Hawaii Connection to Japan tour. Each tour shared different aspects of the history and complement each other for a fuller picture of Hawaiian royal life. Our tour guides were each very friendly and knowledgable. Staff was very friendly. The palace is beautifu! We highly recommend visiting when you are in Hawaii!! read more

The tour was exceptional and the docent very knowledgeable. We learned so much fascinating history.

Learned a lot about the history of the Hawaiian monarchy and it being overthrown by the United States. If you are interested in the history of Hawaii make sure to visit. You won't be disappointed. read more

Great staff...it almost felt like they were honored to have their roles because of the history of the palace. I learned a lot!

We didn't book beforehand, and went on the website the day of and saw that there was no availability. Don't fret! If you didn't book beforehand, you can walk in on the day of. They just don't do online booking on the day of, which is why it shows "no availability." As a history lover, visiting Iolani Palace was a great experience. The audio tour was sufficient for us, they give iPods in plastic cases - each room has an option for more information as well. Don't miss visiting the basement of the palace after your main tour - it's where all the actual artifacts are, and is one of the best parts of the whole palace. read more

Iolani Palace - The front of the palace - Museums Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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It gives to all visitors the history of the Hawaiian Monarchy and how they were forced to give up they government to the USA. It's sad that they didn't follow their president at the time. I like the tribute to Kalaupapa and Hawaii's history with leporsy. read more

10 ten most special/important places in Hawaii. Possibly one of the saddest (re: history) as well. The keepers are doing a wonderful job, with what they have. read more

Well worth the price. The private tour was amazing. The history of Hawaii is very special. Don't miss this gem.

As a kamaaina, I highly recommend this palace tour especially with the audio device.The tour is thoughtfully designed and the audio presentation is very nicely done.A very important aspect of Hawaiian/ American history. read more

Great tour. Learned a lot about the Royal history of Hawaii prior to the overthrow of the Monarchy by the United States. Must place to visit by all tourist and Kamaaina. read more

We took the self-guided audio tour - but that doesn't mean you're on your own. There were museum staff in almost every room to answer questions and make sure you're enjoying the tour. Iolani Palace was home to the final decades of the thousand-year-old royal Hawaiian dynasty and the audio tour of the palace captures those years very well. Great exhibits and fascinating history. After you complete the tour, be sure to check out the exhibits in the basement. A lot of interesting artifacts are on display down there. read more

I've been to O'ahu many times but took time out of this trip to visit the palace. We chose a walking guided self tour, which I really enjoyed. They give you a hand held device that guides you through the palace and lets you go at your own pace, learning about the Hawaiian monarchs and the role they played in history. There were rooms that you could literally feel the aloha spirit and one room, (I won't tell you which so you go feel-it for yourself) where you can feel the sorrow of the Queen. I highly recommend talking time to go visit and experience this aloha. I also encourage you to donate or buy something in the gift store, I learned every penny counts to keep this opened to the public and the funding goes straight to the on-going efforts to tell & show the history of Hawaii. read more

This was the best walking tour with historical information about the overthrow that we never knew about. Excellent tour I recommend it.

Elegant...informative....fascinating! The docents were, to a person, helpful and friendly. The grounds were immaculate. Every times I turned around there was a WOW moment, from the restorations to the jewels to the workwork to the gowns to the quilts. I would recommend a visit ! read more

Awesome! The only royal residence in the USA This is a must see - maybe takes an hour and a half but is totally worth going to read more