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Honolulu

Hawaiian Mission Houses

The oldest standing Western houses in Hawaii, with the print shop that produced the first Hawaiian-language type.

Why go

The printing press is the thing. Hawaiian went from unwritten to one of the most literate populations on earth in a generation, and it happened in this yard.

The catch

Guided tour only for the house interiors, on a fixed schedule. Downtown parking is the real cost of this one.

How long
1-1.5 hours
With children
With care
Effort
Easy
Cost
Paid
Parking
Difficult

Pairing with Iolani Palace, which is across the road

Before you go

  • Opening hours: Tu-Sa 10:00-16:00
  • Closed Sunday and Monday
  • Reservation required
  • Rarely crowded

Getting there

Driving times on real roads, from the same data the trip planner routes on — not straight-line distance.

From Waikīkī11 min3.8 miles
From HNL airport31 min13.3 miles
From Downtown Honolulu2 min0.5 miles
From Ala Moana7 min2.1 miles

Add traffic. These are free-flowing times, and the H1 through town at eight in the morning is not free-flowing.

More on Hawaiian Mission Houses: Official site · Wikipedia · OpenStreetMap

Hours, fees and access rules have not been checked against a primary source for this entry yet. Confirm before you build a day around it.

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What else is close

Nearest by road, which is not the same as nearest on a map — and not the same as sharing a region either.

  • Capitol Modern2 min awayThe state art museum, in a 1920s building beside the capitol, free to walk into.
  • Kaka‘ako2 min awayA warehouse district between downtown and Ala Moana, now covered in large-scale murals.
  • Kawaiahao Church2 min awayThe coral-block church at the centre of downtown, built from reef quarried by hand.
  • Honolulu Museum of Art2 min awayA museum built around a series of open courtyards, with a serious Asian and Pacific collection.
  • Washington Place2 min awayThe house where Queen Liliuokalani lived after the overthrow, and afterwards the governor residence.
  • Hawaii Children's Discovery Center3 min awayA hands-on museum for younger children at Kakaako waterfront.