Palace Museum

Overview

The Palace Museum refers to the museum collection housed within the Forbidden City, containing nearly 1.9 million objects — one of the largest collections of art and historical artifacts in the world. Together with the Forbidden City architecture, it forms an unparalleled cultural experience.

Highlights

• Ceramics Gallery: An extraordinary collection of Chinese porcelain spanning 8,000 years, including imperial kilnware from Jingdezhen.
• Clock and Watch Gallery: Over 200 elaborate mechanical clocks collected by Qing emperors, many featuring astounding automaton mechanisms.
• Painting and Calligraphy: Rotating exhibitions of masterworks from the imperial painting collection, spanning the Tang through Qing dynasties.

History

The museum was established in 1925 after the last emperor was expelled. Its collection was partly evacuated to Taiwan during the civil war, dividing it between Beijing and Taipei. The Beijing collection focuses on applied arts and architecture.

Visitor Tips

• Separate Tickets: Some special exhibition halls (clocks, treasures) require additional tickets purchased inside.
• Audio Guide: The official audio guide app provides detailed commentary for hundreds of objects and buildings.
• Duration: 3–4 hours (combined with Forbidden City architecture).