Queen Emma Summer Palace

Queen Emma Summer Palace, Hānaiakamalama, is a royal retreat in Nuʻuanu Valley, where Queen Emma and her husband, Kamehameha IV, came to retreat from court life in Honolulu. It was a beloved home, not a seat of government, and it is now a house museum that the Daughters of Hawaiʻi call Hawaiʻi's first historic house museum. When the Territorial Government slated it for demolition to make way for a baseball field, the Daughters of Hawaiʻi stepped in, and they preserve and manage it today. It is listed on the State and National historic registers. Inside are Queen Emma's original furniture, personal belongings, china, quilts and family portraits, and you learn the story of her son and heir, Prince Albert. Queen Emma helped establish The Queen's Hospital and advocated for education and public health. Tall trees shade the Prince Albert Terrace in the gardens. Visit on your own or on a docent-led Guided Moʻolelo visit, which needs a reservation, and know that walk-ins depend on availability. The entrance on Pali Highway is a right turn after the Laʻimi intersection, immediately after a bus stop, and parking on site is limited. The palace was built in the nineteenth century and may not be accessible for visitors who have difficulty climbing stairs, but the palace can make other arrangements if you call ahead.