The Palace Museum

Preparation • Ticket reservation: Follow the WeChat official account "The Palace Museum" and reserve tickets 1–7 days in advance. Tickets are released at 20:00 every day. • ID: Bring your ID card and show it at the security check. Transportation • Subway: Take Subway Line 1 to Tiananmen East Station, exit from Exit C, and walk to the Meridian Gate; or take Subway Line 8 to Jinyu Hutong Station, exit from Exit C, and walk 1.5 km to the museum. • Taxi: Take a taxi to the East Glorious Gate of the Palace Museum and walk to the Meridian Gate. Tour route • Quick tour: Meridian Gate - Gate of Supreme Harmony - Hall of Supreme Harmony - Hall of Central Harmony - Hall of Preserving Harmony - Gate of Heavenly Purity - Clock and Watch Gallery - Treasure Gallery - Palace of Gathered Elegance - Palace of Accumulated Purity - Palace of Earthly Tranquility - Palace of Heavenly Purity - Hall of Union - Palace of Earthly Tranquility - Imperial Garden - Gate of Divine Might. • Half-day tour of main attractions: Central Axis - Six Eastern Palaces (Palace of Prolonging Happiness, Palace of Great Benevolence) - Treasure Gallery. Main attractions • Meridian Gate: The entrance to the Palace Museum. • Hall of Supreme Harmony: The venue for major ceremonies such as enthronement, birthday celebrations, and weddings. • Hall of Central Harmony: The place where the emperor temporarily rested, read memorials, and received ministers' kneeling before grand ceremonies. • Hall of Preserving Harmony: The venue for banquets and the palace examination. • Palace of Heavenly Purity: The palace where the emperor lived and held family banquets, and where the emperor's body was placed after death. • Palace of Earthly Tranquility: The palace where the empress lived. • Imperial Garden: The royal garden with many flowers, plants, and strange stones. • Treasure Gallery: A collection of cultural relics such as various gemstones, gold and silver utensils, and pearls and jade. • Clock and Watch Gallery: Formerly the ancestral temple for ancestor worship, now displaying exquisite clocks and watches. Guide service • Audio guide: Available for rent at the entrance for CNY 20 each, with a map of the Palace Museum. The guide will automatically play according to your location. • WeChat official account guide: Available in advance for free. Reminders • If you cannot visit after reserving a ticket, you must cancel the ticket before the reserved time, otherwise it will affect your next reservation. • The ground of the Palace Museum is uneven, so watch out for steps. It is recommended to wear comfortable shoes. • Follow the rules of the scenic area and do not touch or damage cultural relics and public facilities.