The historic Hulihee Palace, severely damaged during the 2006 earthquake on the Big Island, will be reopened following a $1.5 million renovation, with a blessing and an open house on Tuesday.

Regular hours for self-guided tours will resume Wednesday. Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday.

The Kailua-Kona landmark was restored in 1927 to the period known as the Kalakaua era (1874-1891) when King David Kalakaua ruled the Hawaiian kingdom.

The palace was closed in December 2007 after earthquake damage in October 2006. During the 20-month restoration project, directed by Connecticut-based John Canning Painting and Conservation Studios, Hulihee's artifact collection was catalogued and stored.

The palace's collection includes javelins and spears belonging to King Kamehameha the Great, as well as an 180-pound lava rock, which he used as an exercise weight.

The caretakers of the palace are the Daughters of Hawaii and Calabash Cousins.