Lunchtime Lectures at Iolani Palace

Have you ever wanted to know about King Kalakaua’s military, the monarchy’s foreign policies or the building of the Royal Mausoleum? If so, you’re in luck. For the next month historical lectures will be held in Iolani Palaces’ archives building (it’s in between the palace and the Hawaii State Library) during the “Experts at the Palace 2010 Lecture Series.”

The hour-long lectures begin at noon and are held every Thursday through February 18. You’re even welcome to bring your own lunch. The program is sponsored by the UH American Studies Department, the Historic Hawai‘i Foundation and the Friends of Iolani Palace.

My co-worker Christine Hitt and I attended last week’s lecture where Stuart Ching compared Iolani Palace to British country houses in terms of architecture, purpose and  preservation. Ching prepared a Power Point presentation of photos of Iolani—including one of the palace with its former groomed gardens—as well as other palaces in England that Ching himself visited. Be sure to get there early, the lecture room in the archives building is small and fills up quickly—people who showed up late had to stand. There’s also limited parking spaces at the palace.

Here’s the upcoming lecture schedule:

January 28
“A Compromise of East and West: King Rama V and the Design of the Chakkri Throne Hall in the Grand Palace in Bangkok.”
Presented by Yongthanit Pimosathean

February 4
“The Military Forces of King Kalakaua’s Reign.”
Presented by Neil Dukas

February 11
“King Kalakaua’s Foreign Policy.”
Presented by Niklaus Schweizer

February 18
“The Royal Mausoleum.”
Presented by Nanette Napoleon