With the 2024 summer vacation approaching, the Palace Museum has issued the following summer visit guidelines to provide a comfortable visiting experience and ensure the safety of the ancient buildings and our visitors.

Ticket reservation

1. The official ticket reservation channels are the WeChat mini-program and multilingual website of the Palace Museum. Reservations can be made up to seven days in advance starting from 20:00. Annual pass holders need to register for their visits at least one day in advance. 

2. Children aged 6 and under, or with a height of 1.2 meters or below, do not need a reservation but must be accompanied by an adult with a reserved ticket. Children above 6 years old still need to make a reservation. Children under 14 years old must be accompanied by an adult. Each adult visitor can take up to three children under 14 years old.

Entry instructions

1. The Palace Museum opens at 8:30 and closes at 17:00. Ticket checks stop at 16:00. The museum is closed on Mondays (except on statutory holidays). During the summer vacation, the peak hours for entry are from 8:30 to 11:00. Expect longer wait times for security and ticket checks during these hours. Please plan your visit wisely, avoid peak hours if possible, and stay updated on weather forecasts for high temperatures and heavy rain. Stay cool and protect yourself from the heat. Customer service hotline: 400-950-1925.

2. The entrance is at the Meridian Gate (Wu men). You can reach it by walking from Tiananmen Gate to the Upright Gate (Duan men), Donghuamen Street to Quezuomen Gate, or Xihuamen Street to Queyoumen Gate. The Palace Museum Visitor Service Center is south of the Meridian Gate (Wu men), on the west side of Duanmen Square. It provides ticket inquiries (including senior tickets), luggage storage, convenience services, first aid kits, and other services. Security and ticket check channels are south of the Meridian Gate (Wu men). Please exit through the Gate of Divine Prowess (Shenwu men) or the East Prosperity Gate (Donghua men) after your visit.

3. Visitors with large luggage or items on the “Prohibited Items List” should first store their luggage and prohibited items at the Visitor Service Center on the west side of Duanmen Square before heading to the Meridian Gate (Wu men) for ticket checks. This prevents the need to queue twice. Visitors in wheelchairs or with strollers should use the barrier-free lane. Visitors aged 60 and above, or those with mobility problems, may use the special care lane. Visitors without bags may use the no-bag lane. Please use original ID card for ticket verification to ensure quick system recognition.

Visitor services

1. The Palace Museum WeChat mini-program offers an electronic map with recommended quick tour routes, in-depth tour routes, summer tour routes, and barrier-free tour routes. It also features audio guides and information on exhibitions, guided tour services, audio guide device rentals, dining, cultural and creative products, bookstores, restrooms, broadcasting room, first aid, and the police station.

2. If you get separated from your group during the visit, you can ask for assistance from the nearest staff member. You can also call the broadcasting room (010-85007424) or the police station (010-85007494) for help. For lost items, please contact the police station (010-85007494).

3. In case of heatstroke or other physical symptoms, or in an emergency, seek help from nearby staff or call the Palace Museum’s first aid station (010-85007120).

Visitor guidelines

1. Please protect the Palace Museum, one of the World Cultural Heritage sites in China. Smoking is prohibited throughout, as is climbing ancient buildings, displayed artifacts, rockeries, and ancient trees. Touching, carving, or defacing any of the ancient buildings, artifacts, or exhibits is also prohibited.

2. Please maintain order during your visit. Activities such as performances, promotions, interviews, conducting social surveys, engaging in religious activities, selling goods or services, and commercial photography are prohibited. Live streaming and recording activities by non-institutional content providers on social media platforms are not allowed in the exhibition halls. Eating, setting up easels, and using flash photography, selfie sticks, and tripod photography equipment in the exhibition halls are also prohibited.

3. Considering that the Palace Museum has many staircases, steep slopes, and uneven surfaces, please pay attention to warning signs. Do not linger under eaves, near trees, by rocks, or in narrow passages for extended periods. In case of emergencies, accidents, or extreme weather, please follow staff guidance or broadcast announcements, and leave the museum in an orderly manner.

The Palace Museum

July 1, 2024