A couple of weeks ago I was basking in the sunshine on the lawn at Shangri La in Honolulu, home of Doris Duke. Built in 1937, Shangri La houses an impressive collection of Islamic art and is considered one of Hawaii’s most architecturally significant homes. Shangri La is open to the public for tours a few days a week, you need to schedule at least a week in advance. You can view the rooms (including some that are not part of the tour) and view the art collection on the website. Tours are reserved through the Honolulu Academy of Arts, worth a visit in its own right.

Unfortunately photography is not permitted inside, but I did take some photos of the grounds. It’s centered around an interior courtyard and is packed with artistic influences from around the world. Tile, wood, plaster, chenille drapery and a massive window that drops down into the floor. I think it’s safe to say that Doris Duke was eccentric, and ahead of her time. Duke was the only child of tobacco and electric energy tycoon James Buchanan Duke. Her father died in 1925 when Doris was twelve, leaving approximately half of his estate to The Duke Endowment with the remainder, estimated at $100 million, going to Doris. She married (for the first time) in 1935 and embarked on a year long honeymoon which ended in Hawaii. A 2 week stay turned into 3 months, they acquired property and built Shangri La from the ground up. Worth a visit, kudos to our guide, a wealth of information.