Forbidden City (Palace Museum)
故宫博物院 · Gùgōng Bówùyuàn
The Ming and Qing imperial palace, now China’s largest museum of imperial art.
Booking requiredBring your passport3–4 hours for a half-day route; allow a full day for galleries and side halls.
Tip
Use the manual passport lane at the Meridian Gate. You exit north, right next to Jingshan Park.
- Opening hours
- Apr–Oct 08:30–17:00 (last entry 16:00); Nov–Mar 08:30–16:30 (last entry 15:30). Closed Mondays except national holidays, and closed on Chinese New Year’s Eve.
- Price
- ¥60 (Apr–Oct), ¥40 (Nov–Mar). Treasure Gallery and Gallery of Clocks cost ¥10 each.
- How to book
- Book on the official English ticket site with your passport. Reservations open at 20:00 seven days before the visit; there are no same-day tickets. Bring the original passport and enter through the manual ticket-checking channel at the Meridian Gate (午门). Could not get tickets? Tell us what you need
- Getting there
- Take Metro Line 1 to Tian’anmen East (天安门东) or Tian’anmen West (天安门西), then walk to the Meridian Gate (午门), the only visitor entrance. Exit via the Gate of Divine Prowess (神武门) or East Prosperity Gate (东华门).
- Address in Chinese
- 北京市东城区景山前街4号
Photo: Daniel Case · CC BY-SA 3.0
From other travelers
Write a reviewIn the encyclopedia
Encyclopedia · PeopleKangxi Emperor 康熙帝The palace where he lived and ruled for six decades.Encyclopedia · DynastiesMing dynasty 明朝The imperial palace the Yongle Emperor completed in 1420, home to Ming and later Qing emperors.Encyclopedia · DynastiesQing dynasty 清朝The Ming palace that Qing emperors lived and ruled in from 1644 to 1912.Encyclopedia · Ideas and beliefsFeng shui 风水The palace faces south along Beijing’s central axis, with the Golden Water River in front and Jingshan hill behind.Encyclopedia · Arts and craftsPeking opera 京剧The palace has the Pavilion of Pleasant Sounds, a three-storey imperial opera stage built under the Qianlong Emperor.
Travel guides
How to book Forbidden City tickets as a foreigner (2026)Tickets open 7 days ahead at 20:00 China time and sell out fast. How to book with a passport, no Chinese phone number needed.
How to use DiDi in China as a foreigner (2026)DiDi app or DiDi inside Alipay, paying with a foreign card, showing your address in Chinese, airport pickups, safety features and Amap as an option.
Tiananmen Square reservation: how foreigners book a visit (2026)Free real-name booking 1–7 days ahead, released at 12:00 China time. Which channel to use, the flag-raising slot, security and what to leave at the hotel.Sources
Checked against these sources on 2026-10-06. Rules change often, so confirm on the official site before you go.
Not yet confirmed by an official source: coords
More in Beijing
慕田峪长城Mutianyu Great WallA restored, forested stretch of the Ming wall with a cable car and toboggan, quieter than Badaling.八达岭长城Badaling Great WallThe most visited and most restored section of the wall, and the easiest to reach by train.天坛公园Temple of HeavenThe Ming altar complex where emperors prayed for good harvests, in a large park.颐和园Summer PalaceA Qing imperial garden around Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill, on the UNESCO list.