My last official “field trip” of my vacation. I enjoyed the tour; I did the self-guided audio tour. I liked the option to select additional information—such as political background.

The palace itself is very European, with touches of Hawaii culture and decor. The main staircase was made with native Hawaiian woods.

The palace was built in 1882 and is the only official royal residence in the United States. It was the home of Hawaii’s last reigning monarch’s, who were overthrown in 1893 (by the US government). For a history of Hawaii after Europeans arrived and the ultimate overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy, I thought this was a good overview (https://www.history.com/news/hawaiis-monarchy-overthrown-with-u-s-support-120-years-ago).

When entering the palace, you are required to wear shoe covers. The lights were dimmed to protect the paintings and furniture. And it’s air conditioned.

The palace had fallen into disrepair after being used as the Capitol for 80 years; it underwent a large restoration in the 1970s. Photographs served as the main source for recreating furniture and royal clothing.