Seamens' House & Hospital

Lahaina


Kamehameha III had this building erected in 1833 to give seamen and whalers a place to congregate away from the baleful stares of the missionaries in the center of town. It turns out he also had an ulterior motive: he wanted to escape the judgemental Europeans and have trysts with his beloved sister Princess Nahi‘ena‘ena and enjoy other 'unsanctioned' activities. The US government later used it as a hospital for sailors; it was restored in 1982.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Lahaina attractions

1. Baby Beach

0.27 MILES

A nice swath of sand just north of Lahaina's center proves there's no reason to stay in Kaanapali for beachy pleasures. Its reef-protected waves are…

2. Wo Hing Museum

0.27 MILES

This three-story temple, built in 1912 as a meeting hall for the benevolent Chee Kung Tong society, gave Chinese immigrants a place to preserve their…

3. Lahaina Jodo Mission

0.34 MILES

A 12ft-high bronze Buddha sits serenely in the courtyard at this Buddhist mission, looking across the Pacific toward its Japanese homeland. Cast in Kyoto,…

4. Pioneer Mill Smokestack

0.45 MILES

The hard-to-miss Pioneer Mill smokestack is a local icon. Outdoor exhibits spotlight equipment and vehicles used on the company's sugar plantation, in…

5. Hauola Stone

0.54 MILES

Well, that doesn't look entirely comfortable. At the northern shoreline of the small plaza behind the Lahaina Public Library, look beneath the water’s…

6. Masters’ Reading Room

0.54 MILES

Built in the 1830s, this coral block and stone building was used by ship captains as a club for hanging out between seafaring adventures. Restored in 1970…

7. Baldwin House

0.56 MILES

Built in 1834–35, the Baldwin House is the oldest surviving Western-style building in Lahaina. It served as the home of Reverend Dwight Baldwin, a…

8. Lahaina Public Library Grounds

0.57 MILES

The gardens here were once a royal taro field, where Kamehameha II toiled in the mud to instill in his subjects the dignity of labor. Today they offer a…

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