Bookable
An Apollonaut travel guide
Moments in a longer story.
Selected milestones in the history of ʻIolani Palace.
On this page
Monarchy, government and museum
These dates describe the place you can learn about here. They are not a company timeline for Apollonaut.
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31 December 1879
The cornerstone is laid
The cornerstone of ʻIolani Palace is laid with full Masonic rites.
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1882
The palace is completed
King Kalākaua’s palace is completed, with electric lights, indoor plumbing and a telephone among its amenities.
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12 February 1883
A coronation
Nine years into his reign, Kalākaua holds a formal coronation ceremony.
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June 1887
Lit by electricity
The palace is lit by 325 incandescent lights.
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January 1893
The overthrow
Queen Liliʻuokalani is deposed and the Hawaiian monarchy overthrown.
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1895
The Queen’s imprisonment
After an unsuccessful attempt to restore her, the Queen is tried in her own Throne Room and imprisoned in an upstairs bedroom for nearly eight months.
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29 December 1962
A National Historic Landmark
The palace is designated a National Historic Landmark.
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1969
Government moves out
After serving as the capitol since the 1890s, the palace is vacated by government offices.
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1978
A museum opens
The restored palace opens to the public as a museum.
Follow the stories behind the dates
A timeline is a beginning. The longer history introduces the people and places; the sources below provide further context.
Read at the source
Sources & further reading
Links lead to the original publishers.
