The Forbidden City, also known as the Palace Museum, is located on the central axis of Beijing. It used to be the Chinese imperial palace of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368 - 1911). In 1987, the Forbidden City was listed as the World Heritage Site since it is the largest collection of preserved ancient wooden structures around the world. The Forbidden City consists of the Outer Court and the Inner Court. The Outer Court has three main halls, namely the Hall of Supreme Harmony (Taihedian), the Hall of Central Harmony (Zhonghedian), and the Hall of Preserved Harmony (Baohedian). The Inner Court includes three residential palaces, that is, the Palace of Heavenly Purity (Qianqinggong), the Hall of Celestial and Terrestrial Union (Jiaotaidian), and the Palace of Earthly Tranquility (Kunninggong).
Admission:
60 RMB from April 1 to October 31 every year (the peak season)
40 RMB from November 1 to March 31 of the next year (the off season)
10 RMB for Treasure Gallery (Zhenbao guan) (including the Palace of Tranquil Longevity, Hall of Opera and Hall of Stone Drums)
10 RMB for the Hall of Clocks (Zhongbiao guan) (entering the Hall of Ancestral Worship)
Tel: (8610) 8500-7421, (8610) 8500-7420
Opening hours: April to October: 8:30 - 17:00
November to March: 8:30 - 16:30
Address: No.4 Jingshan Front Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing
Transport:
By Subway: Take Subway Line 1 to Tiananmen East Station (Exit B) or Tiananmen West Station (Exit B), walk 500 meters to the Tiananmen Tower, and then walk north to the Meridian Gate.
By Bus: Take Bus No. 1, 2, 52, 59, 82, 120, Sightseeing Bus Line 1 or 2, and get off at Tiananmen East Station; or take Bus No. 1, 5, 52, Sightseeing Bus Line 1 or 2, and get off at Tiananmen West Station.
Reservation: all tickets should be booked online in advance through the official website of the museum https://gugong.ktmtech.cn or travel agencies
Notice: During the epidemic prevention period, the Forbidden City allows 12,000 visitors a day, and some indoor exhibition halls remain closed, including the Treasure Gallery and the Clocks and Watches Gallery.
