HONOLULU (KHON2) — ‘Iolani Palace is opening for evening tours Dec. 28-30 from 5:30 p.m. to to 9 p.m. The moonlit tours are in honor of Queen Kapi’olani’s birthday, which is Jan. 1, and include entertainment. live music and stories about the Queen’s life.

“The Queen’s Evening Tours provide our guests with a rare opportunity to visit ‘Iolani Palace at night,” said Paula Akana, executive director of the Friends of ‘Iolani Palace.

Prices for the evening tours are:

• Adults – $45
• Children [ages 6-12] – $25
• Children [ages 5 and under] – FREE 

“The magical evening, full of music and dance, allows you a sneak peek into how our King and his Queen entertained visitors from near and far,” added Akana.

Reservations are required to enjoy these evenings that capture Hawai’i’s history. Tickets go on sale at 8 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 28 with only two tickets per adult being allowed for purchase.

The tours begin every 15 minutes starting at 5:30 p.m. with the final tours commencing at 9 p.m.

The palace’s regular hours will be cut short between Dec. 28-30, closing at 3 p.m. each day; and tickets’ final sales for each day of the special event is 2 p.m.

The original ‘Iolani Palace was built in 1882 by King Kālakaua. According to Akana, “‘Iolani Palace is a living restoration of a proud Hawaiian national identity and is recognized as the spiritual and physical multicultural epicenter of Hawai’i.”

The palace was the official residence of the Hawaiian royal family until the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy and government in 1893.