In the heat and humidity of summer, Queen Emma (1836–85), the wife and royal consort of Kamehameha IV, used to slip away from her formal downtown Honolulu home to this cooler hillside retreat in Nuʻuanu Valley. Gracious docents from the Daughters of Hawaiʻi society show off the cathedral-shaped koa cabinet that displays a set of china given by England’s Queen Victoria, brightly colored feather cloaks and capes once worn by Hawaiian royalty, and more priceless antiques.
Built in Greek Revival style, the exterior recalls an old Southern plantation home, with its columned porch and high ceilings. Good free tours are offered at various times daily.