In 1874, David Kalakaua was crowned King of Hawai’i. He was a new monarch, concerned about the loss of the Hawaiian culture, and of Hawai’i's standing with the world. He began the revival of many aspects of Hawaiian culture, including the hula which had been banned decades earlier by Protestant missionaries from the United States. He took trips around the world, famously visiting places such as Great Britain and becoming friends with Queen Victoria, and was also the first Hawaiian monarch to visit the United States.
Kalakaua also sought to build a grand palace, worthy of a monarch. The cornerstone for the new `Iolani Palace was laid in 1879, and construction was finished in 1881. Not only was it a beautiful palace, befitting a king, but Kalakaua ensured that it was also a showcase of modernity. It included telephones, indoor plumbing, and electric lighting replaced gas throughout the palace in 1886, less than seven years after Edison invented the light bulb.