Forbidden City seen from Jingshan Park, with the Gate of Divine Prowess and golden-tiled palace roofs behind

Heritage · Dongcheng District, Beijing

Forbidden City (Palace Museum)

The imperial palace of the Ming and Qing emperors at the heart of Beijing, now the Palace Museum (故宫)

Ambient sound · similar settingMurmuring crowd on a historic city square

Photo: Gang Hao (@haogang) / Unsplash

Discover Forbidden City (Palace Museum)

Step through the Meridian Gate and the noise of Beijing falls away. Ahead lie courtyard after courtyard of red walls and yellow-glazed roofs, laid out along a single north-south axis, each hall grander than the last until you reach the great ceremonial halls on their tiers of white marble. Beyond them, the inner court is a maze of smaller palaces, gardens and galleries where the imperial family once lived.

Today the complex is the Palace Museum, home to imperial collections of ceramics, paintings, clocks and treasures. A visit is a full morning's walk at least, and the scale is part of the experience: the palace was designed to make every visitor feel the power of the emperor at its centre.

Don’t miss

01Meridian Gate (Wumen), the monumental south entrance with five gateways
02Hall of Supreme Harmony, the largest hall in the complex, raised on white marble terraces
03Bronze guardian lions and incense burners in the great ceremonial courtyards
04The inner court palaces and the Imperial Garden at the northern end
05Treasure Gallery and Gallery of Clocks (separate admission areas)
06Corner towers reflected in the moat, especially beautiful at golden hour

History & culture

The story of Forbidden City (Palace Museum)

UNESCO records that the Forbidden City was built between 1406 and 1420 under the Ming emperor Zhu Di (the Yongle Emperor) and served as the seat of supreme power until 1911. Over these five centuries, 14 Ming and 10 Qing emperors were enthroned here. The design follows a strict central axis and symmetrical plan, with an outer court for state ceremonies at the front and an inner court of residential palaces behind.

After the last emperor left, the Palace Museum was established in the palace in 1925. The Forbidden City was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1987, and in 2004 the listing was extended to include the Mukden Palace in Shenyang. The palace is surrounded by a wall nearly 8 metres high and a wide moat, with an elaborate corner tower at each corner.

Local life & traditions

For many Chinese families, visiting the Palace Museum is a cherished outing, and special exhibitions or the first snowfall on the palace roofs can draw huge crowds and social media buzz. The museum's cultural products, from stationery to tea, are popular souvenirs, and the palace's colours, especially the deep 'palace red' of its walls, are woven into Beijing's visual identity.

Things to do

Experience it like a local

Follow the central axis from the Meridian Gate north through the three great halls of the outer court, then explore the side palaces of the inner court before leaving through the Gate of Divine Prowess (Shenwumen) in the north. An audio guide or a knowledgeable local guide makes the symbolism of colours, numbers and roof figures come alive.

Afterwards, cross the road to Jingshan Park and climb its hill for the classic panorama over the palace roofs. For a gentler finale, walk along the moat on the palace's outer edge to see the corner towers, or continue to Beihai Park and the lakes of Shichahai.

When to go

April to May and September to October offer mild temperatures and clearer skies for walking the open courtyards, which have very little shade. Summer is hot and crowded with school holidays; winter is cold but quieter, and a snowy day is magical. Avoid Chinese national holidays, when tickets sell out quickly, and remember the museum is closed on Mondays except on national holidays.

Plan your visit

Verified information

Closed: Closed on Mondays, except national holidays. Source: english.beijing.gov.cn ↗
Advance real-name booking: Reservation is required for all visitors and no same-day tickets are sold. Book through the official 'The Palace Museum' mini-program; tickets open at 20:00 seven days before the visit date. International visitors can book with a passport and must bring the original passport used for booking. Source: english.beijing.gov.cn ↗
Entrance: Visitors enter through the Meridian Gate (South Gate of the Forbidden City). Source: english.beijing.gov.cn ↗
Off-season opening hours: 1 November to 31 March: 8:30 to 16:30, last entry 15:30 (Treasure Gallery and Gallery of Clocks 15:40), as published Nov 2025. Source: english.beijing.gov.cn ↗
UNESCO World Heritage: Inscribed in 1987 as part of the Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in Beijing and Shenyang (extended 2004). Source: whc.unesco.org ↗

Checked against the sources on 27 October 2026. Opening times and fees can change — confirm before you go.

Travel tips

Book as soon as the seven-day window opens, especially for weekends and holidays; tickets are tied to your passport.
Allow at least three to four hours, wear comfortable shoes and carry water; there is a lot of walking on stone paving with little shade.
Security checks are thorough, so carry only what you need and allow time at the entrance.
Combine your visit with Jingshan Park just north of the exit for the best view over the palace roofs.
For halal meals, Niujie in Xicheng District is the city's best-known Muslim neighbourhood and is a short taxi ride away.

General guidance from our specialists, not official information.

Around Forbidden City (Palace Museum): food, markets & places to stay

Jingshan Park faces the northern exit and Beihai Park lies a short walk to the north-west, with the lakes and hutongs of Shichahai beyond. Tiananmen Square is immediately to the south. Wangfujing, east of the palace, is a major shopping street with many restaurants and hotels. Subway Line 1 serves the area around Tiananmen, and taxis and ride-hailing cars wait near the northern exit.