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Honolulu
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Queen Emma Summer Palace
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Queen Emma Summer Palace

See all things to do
See all things to do
Queen Emma Summer Palace
4.5
377 reviews
#24 of 349 things to do in Honolulu
Historic Sites • History Museums
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9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
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About
Queen Emma Summer Palace or Hanaiakamalama (The Southern Cross), served as a summer retreat for Queen Emma of Hawai'i from 1857 to 1885, as well as for her husband King Kamehameha IV, and their son, Prince Albert Edward. It is a now a historic landmark and educational museum preserved and operated by Daughters of Hawai'i. Admission to the Palace: General: $10 Kama'aina & Seniors: $8 Children 5-17 $1. Open Sundays from 10 AM to 3 PM, Mondays through Saturdays from 9 AM to 4 PM. Closed on major holidays. Because the Palace was built in the nineteenth century, access may not be available for visitors who have difficulties climbing stairs.
Suggested duration
< 1 hour
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
377 reviews
Excellent
228
Very good
108
Average
38
Poor
3
Terrible
0
kccote
3 contributions
Worth going to
Aug 2022 • Family
Definitely worth the visit if your into architecture, history and rain forests. I saw some complaints about the fees but you have to remember that the only thing supporting the museum are the entry tickets. I enjoyed learning more about Queen Emma and seeing the original furniture. What craftsmanship! Definitely check out the gift shop for locally crafted items. This is also a great stop on the way to Nu‘uanu Pali Lookout.
Written August 18, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Fleeing Boston
Wailuku, HI21 contributions
Nice, manageable-scale way to experience some Hawaiian history
Feb 2021
It's a nice small scale place to learn some Hawaiian history. The house was shipped from Boston disassembled and reassembled on site - so being from Boston it was an oddly dislocating place to be in. Cost as noted is still correct - prebooked tours are the *only* way you can visit during COVID, and they are scheduled every couple of hours through the day with a limit of 4 people per tour group. The guided tour is part of the regular admission charge. Covid protocols firmly in place.
Written February 23, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Bob G
Plainview, New York27 contributions
Small gem
Jan 2020
Our guide took us to this underappreciated off the beaten track home which is furnished with the beautiful items owned by Queen Emma. We took a guided tour and the docent was knowledgeable and enthusiastic. I only gave four stars because it is quite small.
Written January 19, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
RichH6109
Yorkshire75 contributions
An oasis
Aug 2022 • Family
I won’t lie and say there’s a great deal to do at the Queen Emma palace. On a non-guided tour, we took around 25 minutes to see the site. Considering this, the entry price (for adults at least) is a little steep.

However, we visited after being stuck on the road for more than two hours so we were thankful of the tranquility and the airy spaces. As part of the Go Card it’s probably worth a visit if you are in the area.
Written August 4, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Adrian M
Melbourne, Australia59 contributions
Lovely docent-led tour
Jan 2023
For us, this was the third and final palace we went to, starting with the Hulihe'e Palace on the big island before going to the main Iolani Palace and finishing up with Queen Emma's Summer Palace. It was a bit of a sad story, and the docent we had was lovely, even if we were accidentally overbooked with 26 people against a maximum of 15 in the party! Having the docent there was that much better than the audio tour we had at Iolani and was a lot better than the self-guided wander I had at Hulihe'e. Chronologically this should probably be the second one, and you should finish with Iolani, but it was okay. It was just lovely to see this relatively unimportant summer palace, but it just completed the picture. I now know that Hawaii belonged to England from 1795 to 1843, after Kamehama gave Hawaii to England in return to getting to unify the islands, then England gave it back, and in return the Union Jack became a part of the Hawaiian national flag, even though England never really enforced their ownership of Hawaii and never colonised it. Hawaii don't even seem to realise that they belonged to England for 48 years. It was great to have that clarity.
Written January 29, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Mike H
Phoenix, AZ2,047 contributions
Needs Some Repair Outside
Feb 2020
As you head up the Pali Highway you will go by the drive into Queen Emma's Summer Palace. You have to be watchful for the sign that is after Laimi Road. the sign is at the drive on the right but if you pass it you can take the next 3 rights and go back on around to the Pali Road again at Laimi Road.
The Palace is filled with period furniture and much of it is from the Queen. The docent said that the queen was able to see the ocean from the front porch but not anymore with all the buildings that are there now.
The inside includes a music room, 2 bedrooms, entry hall, a large gathering room with display cabinets.
Outside there is a small stream that runs along side of the property with some gardens.
The ticket office also is a gift shop.
Written March 19, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Monte David Z
Fort Worth, TX44 contributions
An overlooked treasure
Jan 2020
The parking lot is small because so few people seem to visit here. the price was very reasonable. The docents were wonderful! Most places like this allow you to just look into a room from the doorway. Here you get to walk into each room and get up close to everything. They expect you to be responsible and not touch anything. The self tour is only about 30 minutes. Take time to ask the docents questions and be prepared to learn a lot!
Written January 15, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
JW W
St. Petersburg, FL506 contributions
Real History of the Royals
Feb 2019
It has been some time since my visit to the Queens Summer Home. I will never forget the feeling of empowerment of this woman and how important she was for her people. A must see to get the feel of what it must have been like in the 1800s too.
Written January 17, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
pchnmain
LA/OC651 contributions
the organization needs to work on this
Sep 2022
I made two attempts to visit the "Queen Emma Summer Palace" and failed to tour on each attempt.

I visited Honolulu in May 2022. I went to the Summer Palace (without a reservation) on a day, during hours when the site should have been open. The facility was closed.

I visited Hawaii again in September 2022. Using the organization's website, I made a tour reservation. I even received an email confirming my booking. But when I went to the palace on the appointed time and date, the facility was closed.

Fortunately, I planned day trips to visit several locations; I didn't make a trip to the area solely to visit the Summer Palace. However, it was unsatisfying to have been disappointed on two separate occasions.
Written January 16, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Glen N
1 contribution
Small and Intimate
Jan 2020
We arrive to very small parking lot. The gift shop is in the back where you pay your admission which is reasonalbe. You take off your shoes upon entering the house. The docents were busy with a large group. So we began our tour reading the information on the cards provided when we paid our admission. After the large group left, the docent asked if we had any questions, then proceeded give wealth of information not on the card. Very helpful. Most of the items in the house are authentic. This added the the mystic of the Hawaiian royals. Very nice visit.
Written January 27, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Queen Emma Summer Palace (Honolulu) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

Frequently Asked Questions about Queen Emma Summer Palace
Queen Emma Summer Palace is open:
  • Sun - Sun 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
  • Mon - Sat 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Buy tickets in advance on Tripadvisor. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel at least 24 hours before the start date of your tour for a full refund.
We recommend booking Queen Emma Summer Palace tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 2 Queen Emma Summer Palace tours on Tripadvisor