Washington Place, Honolulu

Washington Place, Honolulu

Washington Place was originally built in the 1840s by the father-in-law of Hawaii's last reigning monarch, Queen Liliuokalani, and was the site of her arrest during the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii.

Washington Place was commissioned by John Dominis, a wealthy merchant, for his family. Tragically, he was lost at sea in 1846 on a trip to China, before the house was finished. His wife, Mary, converted Washington Place to a boarding house in order to support herself and her son. One of the first boarders was Anthony Ten Eyck, an American Commissioner to the islands appointed by President James K. Polk who established the American Legation in the house. Ten Eyck named the house "Washington Place" after George Washington. King Kamehameha III officially approved the name.

John Dominis' son, John Owen Dominis, later married Queen Liliuokalani when she was still a young princess. The house became their home, and was eventually left solely to Queen Liliuokalani after her husband's death. She died in the house in 1917, after being deposed.

After Queen Liliuokalani's death, Washington Place served as a governor's mansion from 1921 to 2001. A total of thirteen governors of Hawaii had lived there, until a new governor's residence was built on the same grounds in 2001, and Washington Place was converted into a Hawaiian history museum.

Washington Place was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 2007.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Honolulu. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

Download The GPSmyCity App

Washington Place on Map

Sight Name: Washington Place
Sight Location: Honolulu, USA (See walking tours in Honolulu)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Honolulu, Hawaii

Create Your Own Walk in Honolulu

Create Your Own Walk in Honolulu

Creating your own self-guided walk in Honolulu is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Diamond Head Volcano Tour

Diamond Head Volcano Tour

Diamond Head Volcano, an iconic natural landmark, is perhaps one of the best-known attractions on the island of Oahu. While not a traditional volcano in the sense of actively erupting, Diamond Head is a dormant volcanic crater that offers a glimpse into the geological history of the Hawaiian Islands.

The volcano's rugged cone is seen from almost every part of the island. However, at its...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.0 Km or 2.5 Miles
Pearl Harbor Walking Tour

Pearl Harbor Walking Tour

Pearl Harbor, a US deep-water naval base in Honolulu, made history in 1941 when it came under attack by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service prompting the United States to enter World War II. Since 1964, Pearl Harbor has been a National Historic Landmark, featuring a number of military objects and installations-turned-monuments.

The Pearl Harbor National Memorial is at the heart of this...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.9 Km or 3 Miles
Honolulu Downtown Walking Tour

Honolulu Downtown Walking Tour

Honolulu is the largest city in Hawaii and the state's capital. Visitors flock here to enjoy the pristine beaches, beautiful scenery and unique culture. There is much to see and do in Honolulu.

The first residents of Honolulu were probably settled during the 11th century. These Polynesian migrants are thought to have come from Tahiti. King Kamehameha I conquered Oahu and claimed the area...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
Waikiki Beach Walk

Waikiki Beach Walk

Once the playground of Hawaiian aristocracy stretching along the southern coast of the island of Oahu, Waikiki, or Waikiki Beach, today greets visitors from all walks of life and corners of the globe. This iconic beachfront area of Honolulu, famed for its long rolling ocean break ideal for boarding and surfing, is also home to public places, high-end resort hotels, and an abundance of luxury brand...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.2 Km or 1.4 Miles

Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip


16 Hawaiian Products To Bring Home from Honolulu

16 Hawaiian Products To Bring Home from Honolulu

Pineapples, surfing, flower garlands and colorful shirts are the most distinct things coming to mind in association with Hawaii. Still, when it's time to go leisurely-pleasurely in the remotest part of the United States, it is good to know what is there exactly worth picking up in Honolulu, as...