Queen Lili'uokalani's 167th birthday on Friday will be commemorated with a party at Washington Place that organizers hope will be similar to the celebrations held for Hawai'i's last monarch during her lifetime.

The Washington Place Foundation, the nonprofit set up by former Hawai'i first lady Vicky Cayetano to preserve the queen's home, will open the historic two-story building to the public that day for the Queen Lili'uokalani Birthday Serenade, from 4 to 7 p.m.

The queen was a music afficionado whose most famous composition was the haunting "Aloha 'Oe." So it's no surprise that Friday's activities will be dominated by music.

Washington Place curator Corinne Chun Fujimoto said that when Lili'uokalani was a princess, and later queen, mele, or songs, were chanted by her retainers the evening before her birthday.

"Traditionally, her birthday was commemorated with music," Chun Fujimoto said. "The Royal Hawaiian Band would come here and play, and she would make her entrance."

In keeping with that tradition, Hawaiian music will be provided throughout Friday evening by the Diamond Serenaders. The Royal Hawaiian Band will also entertain, with singer Nalani Olds, from 5 to 6 p.m.

Docents will be present to share the history of Washington Place with visitors.

Lei and flowers will be welcome as ho'okupu, or offerings, to commemorate the birthday, as was traditional during her lifetime.

"What we want to do is bring that tradition back," said Chun Fujimoto as she described Washington Place as "the best-kept secret in town."

The house, which has been home to Hawai'i's governors through much of the past century, is now a museum and is open for tours weekday mornings.

Those interested should call 586-0240 in advance to make arrangements. The tour lasts between 30 and 45 minutes. While no fee is collected, donations are accepted and are given to the foundation to help support the facility.

Washington Place receives some funding from the state for staffing, as well as general maintenance and repairs.

The foundation has been charged with improvements at the site. Among the plans is an extensive restoration that will include developing the second story into gallery space, Chun Fujimoto said.

"We want the people to come back to Washington Place," she said. "It was a gathering place when the queen lived here. It continued to be a high-profile social and political center of Hawai'i (when governors lived there), and we'd like it continue to be that now."

Reach Gordon Y.K. Pang at gpang@honoluluadvertiser.com.