Palace Museum and Forbidden City: what is the difference?
The Forbidden City is the historic palace complex. The Palace Museum is the museum founded inside it. It runs the historic interiors and the art collections. In practice you buy one visit and see both. The terms are used side by side, and this site uses them the same way.
The museum opened with a ceremony on 10 October 1925, in front of the Palace of Heavenly Purity. That was after the last emperor, Puyi, had been expelled and the remaining court collections had been inventoried.
This is an independent guide, not the museum's own page. Check the museum's current notices before you go.
The Treasure Gallery and the Clock Gallery
Two galleries on the side of the main route. Both need their own ticket.
Treasure Gallery
The gallery sits in the area of the Palace of Tranquil Longevity, called Ningshougong. The museum's description includes the Qing opera gallery and the stone drum gallery. It costs CNY 10 in addition to the main ticket.
Clock Gallery
The Gallery of Clocks stands in the area of the Hall for Ancestral Worship, called Fengxiandian. It has its own additional ticket of CNY 10.
Not part of the main axis walk
Treat both galleries as add-ons. The main walk from the Meridian Gate north does not depend on them. Decide before you book, because they are reserved with the same real-name system.
Route and map →Our picks: tours with a gallery ticket
Two tours include a ticket for the Treasure Gallery or Royal Treasure Museum, a third covers the main palace.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Forbidden City and hutongs by rickshaw
An English-speaking guide, tickets for the Forbidden City and the Royal Treasure Museum, and a rickshaw ride through Nanluoguxiang. Food and drinks are not included.
Check availability →
Central axis and Treasure Gallery with a guide
Three hours with an English-speaking guide, with the Forbidden City and Treasure Gallery tickets included. Hotel transfer and tips are extra; the lunch menu only comes with the lunch option.
Check availability →
Entry ticket with one-hour guided tour
Entry is included, and the first package adds a small-group guided tour. The second package has no guide. Transport, food and drinks are not included.
Check availability →Forbidden City tours and Beijing day trips
Guided visits of the Palace Museum and other Beijing sights, with live prices and availability.
What a visit costs in 2026
Adult prices follow the season. The extra galleries cost the same all year.
| Visitor | Main ticket 1 April to 31 October | Main ticket 1 November to 31 March | Each extra gallery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult | CNY 60 | CNY 40 | CNY 10 |
| Adult with both galleries | CNY 80 | CNY 60 | – |
| Student from 18 up to bachelor level, with ID | CNY 20 | CNY 20 | CNY 5 |
| Senior from 60, with original ID | CNY 30 | CNY 20 | CNY 5 |
The sum for an adult with both galleries is our own addition, not a combined product. Under 18s are free for Chinese citizens, including Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, and for foreign minors with permanent residence in China. That is not a general rule for foreign children, so check before you rely on it.
Visit routes and how much time to plan
The museum groups its routes by length.
The museum's visitor information lists a 2-hour route, a half-day route and a full-day route. These are route categories, not guaranteed walking times. Queues at the gate and in busy courtyards come on top.
For a first visit, choose the main axis from the Meridian Gate north and treat the Treasure Gallery and the Clock Gallery as extras. Add one only if you have time left in your slot. Remember that the last main entry is 16:00 in the high season and 15:30 in the low season.
What the museum shows
Historic rooms and special galleries.
The museum presents two kinds of space. Historic room ensembles show how palace buildings were furnished. Special galleries cover themes such as ceramics, painting, calligraphy and clocks. Which spaces are open changes over time.
Some exhibitions need their own reservation, with availability set by the museum's booking page. A donated-objects exhibition at Jingrengong, for example, was extended to 15 October 2028. That is an announced run, not a promise against future changes.
The museum's international site gives a figure of 40,000 visitors a day. That is a general number, not a count of tickets you can expect to find for your date.
Halls that are closed in autumn 2026
Closures are announced by the museum and can change.
| Hall | Status |
|---|---|
| Wuying Dian | Closed since 19 October 2026 for conservation work and a revision of the exhibition; no reopening date given |
| Yanxi Gong | Closed 1 September to 31 October 2026; reopening announced for 1 November 2026 |
| Taihemen | Construction hoarding from 3 August 2026; no end date given |
These closures do not mean the whole palace is shut. A historic room description is also not proof that the room is open today. Check the current notices on the day you book.
Palace Museum: frequently asked questions
Is the Palace Museum the same as the Forbidden City?
They overlap. The Forbidden City is the historic palace complex. The Palace Museum is the museum founded inside it, with the historic interiors and the art collections. One visit covers both.
Do the Treasure Gallery and the Clock Gallery cost extra?
Yes. Each costs CNY 10 in 2026, on top of the main ticket. For an adult that makes CNY 80 in the high season with both, and CNY 60 in the low season.
Do I need to reserve the extra galleries?
Yes. The advance reservation covers the main ticket, the Treasure Gallery, the Clock Gallery and exhibitions that need a reservation. It uses your real name and original passport.
Is every hall open?
No. Several halls are closed or under construction in autumn 2026, and the list changes. Look at the museum's notices before you go and do not assume a historic room can be entered.
Can I rent an audio guide?
The museum lists a guide and audio guide service in its visitor information. Check the current languages and prices on the day, because older figures may no longer apply.