Huliheʻe Palace
A Royal Summer Palace on Kailua-Kona’s Oceanfront
Huliheʻe Palace stands directly on the waterfront along Aliʻi Drive in Kailua-Kona on the Big Island of Hawaiʻi — a royal residence that has housed more Hawaiian monarchs than any other building in the state. Built in 1838 by High Chief John Adams Kuakini, the governor of Hawaiʻi Island, the palace served as a summer retreat for Hawaiian royalty throughout the Kingdom era.
Today managed by the Daughters of Hawaiʻi, the palace operates as a museum preserving the material culture of Hawaiian monarchy — a place where Victorian furniture sits alongside sacred feather standards, and the ocean views that Hawaiian kings enjoyed remain unchanged nearly two centuries later.
From Lava Rock to Victorian Elegance
The palace was originally constructed of local lava rock in a style that blended Hawaiian building traditions with Western architectural influences. The massive stone walls — some over two feet thick — provided natural cooling in Kona’s tropical climate.
In 1885, King David Kalākaua — who renamed it Hikulani Hale (“House of the Seventh Ruler”) — had the exterior plastered to give it a more refined, European appearance befitting a royal residence. The transformation reflects the fascinating cultural negotiation of 19th-century Hawaiʻi, where native traditions and Western aesthetics merged in the houses of power.
The Museum Collection
Six rooms display artifacts spanning the Kingdom period:
- Koa wood furniture — made from Hawaiʻi’s most prized hardwood, many pieces crafted specifically for the palace
- Kāhili (feather standards) — the towering ceremonial poles topped with feathers that symbolized royal authority
- Royal portraits — paintings and photographs of the monarchs who lived here
- Tapa cloth and Hawaiian quilts — traditional textile arts representing different eras
- Personal belongings of King Kalākaua, Queen Kapiʻolani, and Princess Ruth Keʻelikōlani
Rescued from Demolition
By the 1920s, the palace had fallen into serious disrepair and faced demolition. In 1925, the Daughters of Hawaiʻi — a society dedicated to preserving Hawaiian history — stepped in to save the building. They restored it and have operated it as a museum since 1927, nearly a century of continuous stewardship that has preserved this irreplaceable link to Hawaiian sovereignty.
The palace is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (1973). Guided and self-guided tours are available, and the palace lawn hosts monthly cultural concerts. Located at 75-5718 Aliʻi Drive, directly across from Kailua Bay.
