The Palace Museum (Forbidden City)
故宫博物院
The palace of 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties, the largest and most completely preserved wooden ancient architectural complex in the world, and the first stop on any Beijing itinerary.
The Forbidden City, the former imperial palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties, was completed in 1420. It covers 720,000 square meters and contains nearly 1,000 halls and palaces, and was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 1987. The visit follows a one-way route from south to north. Enter through Meridian Gate and follow the central axis past the Gate of Supreme Harmony, the Hall of Supreme Harmony (Golden Throne Hall), the Hall of Central Harmony and the Hall of Preserving Harmony. Continue to the Palace of Heavenly Purity, the Hall of Union and the Palace of Earthly Tranquility, then the rear palaces and the Imperial Garden, and exit through the Gate of Divine Might. If you have time, consider the extra Treasure Gallery in the Ningshou Palace area (including the Nine-Dragon Screen and the Changyin Pavilion theater stage) and the Clock Gallery, each RMB 10. The Six Eastern Palaces and Six Western Palaces display scenes of the consorts' daily lives, and the Cining Palace area has a sculpture gallery. Admission is RMB 60 in peak season (April–October) and RMB 40 off-season. All tickets must be booked through the official Palace Museum mini-program or website with real-name registration. Tickets for seven days ahead go on sale each day at 20:00, and they often sell out within seconds on holidays. The museum is closed on Mondays, except public holidays. Take Metro Line 1 to Tiananmen East station, Exit B, then walk about 20 minutes past Tiananmen and Duanmen to Meridian Gate. Entry to the Tiananmen area requires a security check and ID verification. An audio guide (RMB 40) is recommended, or listen to a commentary podcast beforehand. After exiting through the Gate of Divine Might, you can cross the street directly to Jingshan Park and climb the Wanchun Pavilion for a panoramic view of the Forbidden City, the classic closing shot.
Opening hours
Apr–Oct 08:30–17:00 (last entry 16:00); Nov–Mar 08:30–16:30; closed Mondays
Nearby sights
- Imperial Ancestral Temple
- St. Joseph's Church (Wangfujing)
- Jingshan Park
- Wangfujing Street
- Zhongshan Park (Beijing)
- National Museum of China
- Tiananmen Square
- Mausoleum of Mao Zedong