The Kedaton, or Sultan's Palace, is the former royal seat of the Ternate Sultanate, a lineage that dates to the thirteenth century and was one of the most powerful polities in the spice trade era. The current building is a nineteenth-century reconstruction — the earlier palaces were destroyed or damaged during the long colonial conflicts — but it houses an important collection of royal regalia, weapons, and heirlooms that trace the sultanate's history.
The museum contains Portuguese and Dutch-era objects alongside indigenous royal items: ceremonial kris daggers, royal headdresses, old maps, and documents from the period when the Ternate sultan negotiated treaties with European powers as something approaching an equal. The resident caretakers are often knowledgeable about the historical context and will explain the significance of individual pieces if you ask.
The palace is set slightly above the town with a view of Tidore across the strait. Open most mornings; a small donation is expected.