The symposium marking the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Palace Museum was held on October 10 in Beijing. Li Shulei, member of the Political Bureau and head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee attended the symposium and delivered a speech. The representatives recognized the Forbidden City as a unique symbol of ancient China and one of the greatest achievements of Chinese civilization. The enduring culture of the Chinese nation has endowed the Forbidden City with a wealth of cultural treasures and a deeply respected heritage. As the product of modern China’s great social transformation, the Palace Museum has evolved in step with the nation’s rejuvenation. Over the past 100 years, it has served as a devoted custodian of cultural legacy and craftsmanship. The construction and ongoing development of the Palace Museum represent an extraordinary accomplishment in the history of Chinese and world culture, one that will continue to inspire generations to come.     Strengthening cultural heritage protection and inheritance is the historical mission of this generation. Standing at a new starting point, the representatives stated, we must use the study and practice of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture‌ to strengthen cultural confidence, foster the cultural identity of the Chinese nation, and truly make the Palace Museum a leading example for world heritage conservation. We need to prioritize preservation and carefully protect each and every item of our national treasure, unlock their value to improve exhibition and communication, optimize operation and management to boost reform and development vitality, deepen international cooperation to facilitate dialogue and mutual learning between civilizations, and cultivate academic talent to lay a solid foundation for sustainable development. We will, they continued, to contribute to high-quality development in cultural heritage preservation and building the country into a powerhouse in culture.       Over 100 representatives attended the symposium, including leading officials from the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the National Cultural Heritage Administration, relevant central and state government bodies, and the Beijing municipal government, as well as experts, scholars, cultural relics and museum professionals, former leaders and experts from the Palace Museum, and current staff representatives.  

On September 29, 2025, the Palace Museum marked the reopening of the historic Qianlong Garden with the launch of the exhibition “Artistry and Ingenuity: The History and Conservation of the Qianlong Garden.” More than 100 cultural heritage experts and scholars from countries including China, France, and the United States attended the opening ceremony. Distinguished guests attending the opening ceremony included Wang Xudong, a member of the Party Leadership Group of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and director of the Palace Museum; Gregory May, chargé d’affaires at the U.S. Embassy in China; Du Haijiang, Party secretary and deputy director of the Palace Museum; Feng Nai’en, director and Party secretary of the Prince Kung’s Palace Museum; Zhang Lei, deputy director of the Department of Cultural Relics and Historic Sites of the National Cultural Heritage Administration; Bénédicte de Montlaur, president of World Monuments Fund (WMF); Lorna Goodman, chair of WMF’s Board of Trustees; Jin Hongkui, former deputy director of the Palace Museum; Cheng Xiaoxi, vice dean of the School of Architecture at Tsinghua University; and Yao Xiangjun, executive vice president of BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.. The ceremony was presided over by Lou Wei, executive deputy director of the Palace Museum. The Qianlong Garden, also known as the Garden of the Palace of Tranquil Longevity (Ningshou gong), lies in the northwest corner of Ningshou gong — today home to the museum’s Treasure Gallery. Built by Emperor Qianlong as a private retreat for his later years, the compact, exquisitely designed garden features four courtyard complexes and 27 buildings with different styles. It combines northern and southern Chinese garden styles, showcasing literati elegance with imperial grandeur. The site holds an important place in the history of classical Chinese — and indeed, world — garden design. Since 2000, the Palace Museum and WMF have collaborated on the conservation and restoration of the Qianlong Garden, transforming it into a model of China-U.S. cultural exchange and cooperation in cultural heritage preservation, interpretation, and talent development. Amid the Palace Museum’s 100th anniversary celebrations, the first and second courtyards of the Qianlong Garden opened to the public on September 30. In addition, an exhibition titled “Artistry and Ingenuity: The History and Conservation of the Qianlong Garden” was on display in the Hall of Fullfilling Original Wishes (Suichu tang) and its east and west side halls. The show offers a comprehensive look at the garden’s cultural significance and the achievements of its conservation and restoration. Within the newly opened areas, visitors can admire distinctive architectural landmarks such as the Pavilion of the Purification Ceremony (Xishang ting), inspired by the Orchid Pavilion Gathering; the Bower of the Ancient Catalpa (Guhua xuan), named after the ancient catalpa tree; the mountain-top Terrace for Collecting Morning Dew (Chenglu tai); and the richly-symbolic Hall of Fulfilling Original Wishes. Following extensive conservation work, these structures have regained their vitality. Amid rockeries, streams, and centuries-old trees, visitors can experience firsthand the poetic beauty of classical Chinese gardens — creations that, although crafted by human hands, seem born of nature itself — and appreciate the remarkable achievements of 18th-century Chinese architecture, landscape design, and craftsmanship. The exhibition features two sections: “Tranquil Retreat: The Design and Construction of the Qianlong Garden” and “Splendor Revived: The Preservation and Conservation of the Qianlong Garden.” The first section presents the timeline of the garden from conception to completion using methods such as an animated scroll and construction archives. The second section features original artifacts and film footages that reveal the garden’s exquisite craftsmanship, the techniques and methods used in its restoration, the untold stories behind the process, and the remarkable results achieved. In addition to the two sections, the Hall of Fulfilling Original Wishes houses a special exhibit: a ironed paper model (tangyang) of the entire garden crafted with original materials and techniques to provide visitors with a tangible understanding of its spatial design and craftsmanship. The book published in tandem with the exhibition, Tranquil Longevity, Predestined Serenity: The Origins, Interpretation, and Conservation of the Qianlong Garden, offers an insight into the garden’s history and restoration through detailed research and vivid imagery, providing academic support for the public to better understand this precious cultural heritage. After 25 years of dedicated preservation and study, the Qianlong Garden stands as a cultural bridge linking the past and the present and connecting China and the rest of the world. The Palace Museum hopes visitors can experience the enduring charm of cultural heritage and the living dialogue between civilizations that continues to shape human creativity.

Amid the Palace Museum’s 100th anniversary celebrations, an exhibition titled “A Century of Stewardship: From the Forbidden City to the Palace Museum” opened to the public in the Meridian Gate (Wu men) gallery of the Palace Museum on September 30. Featuring 200 pieces and sets of cultural relics, the exhibition is divided into three sections: “A Lineage of Civilization,” “A Century of Endeavor,” and “Myriad Visions of Splendor.” Together, they showcase the defining characteristics of Chinese civilization—its continuity, innovation, unity, inclusiveness, and enduring spirit of peace. Through these works, visitors are invited to trace the Palace Museum’s journey over the past hundred years—from its founding and struggles in the early years, to its steady growth and ongoing pursuit of innovation in more recent decades. The exhibition’s opening ceremony was held on September 29 in the Baoyun Building, also known as the Hall of Embodied Treasures. Distinguished guests attending the opening ceremony included Wang Xudong, a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Leadership Group of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and director of the Palace Museum; Rao Quan, vice minister of culture and tourism and head of the National Cultural Heritage Administration (NCHA); Zou Xiaodong, secretary of the Party Leadership Group and director of the Counselors’ Office of the State Council; Du Zhanyuan, president of China International Communications Group; Wang Ning, secretary of the Party Leadership Group and President of the National Centre for the Performing Arts; Zheng Xinmiao, former director of the Palace Museum; Shan Jixiang, former director of the Palace Museum; Liu Yuzhu, chairman of the China Foundation for Cultural Heritage Conservation; and Ji Zhihong, a member of the Party Committee and vice president of China Construction Bank (CCB). Also in attendance were representatives from relevant departments and institutions under the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, cultural heritage institutions under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the NCHA, relevant departments under the Beijing Municipal People’s Government, neighborhood and resident institutions, representatives from related associations, academic societies, and foundations, as well as retired senior experts and former leaders of the Palace Museum, and members of the museum’s leadership team. The event was presided over by Du Haijiang, Party secretary and deputy director of the Palace Museum. The exhibition received strong support from the CCB, which serves as a joint promotion partner. In collaboration with the Palace Museum, the CCB has launched specially designed precious metal cultural and creative products, the “Auspicious Beasts in the Palace Museum” collection. The collection aims to promote the excellence of traditional Chinese culture and brings a contemporary interpretation through exquisite craftsmanship and modern design. A Century of Stewardship, A Legacy Continued A century of vicissitudes; a century of stewardship. The Palace Museum was founded on October 10, 1925, transforming the former imperial palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties into a public cultural institution. Born in a time of national turmoil, the museum overcame extreme difficulties arising from institutional changes and a sluggish economy. During the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the Palace Museum successfully relocated its treasured artifacts to the south for safekeeping. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, with the support of the CPC and government, the museum ushered in a new phase of development. Solid progress was made in the conservation and restoration of its historic architecture, its collections management system was improved, and its exhibition programs continued to grow. Since the launch of reform and opening-up in 1978, the Palace Museum has further improved infrastructure and developed a comprehensive system for the collection, preservation, study, display, and promotion of cultural heritage. In the new era, the Palace Museum launched the largest renovation and conservation project in its history, along with a seven-year effort to catalogue and assess its collection. These initiatives have improved the preservation of the Palace Museum and boosted rapid development across all areas of the museum’s work. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has attached great importance to the protection and inheritance of cultural heritage at the Palace Museum, issuing important instructions that have provided guiding principles for the museum’s development. Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, especially Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, the Palace Museum has acted in line with the requirements for cultural heritage work in the new era and fully advanced initiatives to build a safe, academic, digital and dynamic museum. It is dedicated to preserving the best of China’s traditional culture housed in the museum in a thorough and responsible manner, advancing the protection of the Palace Museum as a World Cultural Heritage site, and boosting high-quality development across all aspects of the museum’s operations. Its work in heritage conservation, academic research, public service, museum operations and international exchange has grown steadily, and the museum’s role as a key window into Chinese history and culture has become more prominent in the new era. As a dedicated participant in the Global Civilizations Initiative, the Palace Museum aims to be a world-class museum, a model for heritage conservation, a leader in the integration of culture and tourism, and a platform for civilizational exchange and mutual learning. The Palace Museum, with its deep history, continues to thrive with vitality in the present day. To systematically reflect on its century-long journey from an imperial palace to a public museum, the Palace Museum has organized the special exhibition “A Century of Stewardship: From the Forbidden City to the Palace Museum” under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture. With a focus on the museum’s history, the exhibition combines artifacts and archival materials to present the Palace as a bearer of China’s 5,000-year civilization, a repository of the best of China’s traditional culture, a witness to cultural exchanges, and a testament to the ingenuity of the Chinese people. It highlights the perseverance and craftsmanship of generations of Palace Museum staff, tracing how the museum’s destiny has been intertwined with that of the Chinese nation. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the museum’s staff have remained true to their mission and pressed ahead with determination. The three sections of the exhibition, namely, “A Lineage of Civilization,” “A Century of Endeavor,” and “Myriad Visions of Splendor,” feature 200 pieces and sets of cultural relics carefully selected from the museum’s collections. The West Wing Gallery explores the theme of “A Lineage of Civilization,” comprising “Preserving the Imperial Collections,” “Opening the Forbidden City,” and “Becoming the Palace Museum.” It explores the continuity, preservation, and use of the imperial collections, underscoring the enduring nature of Chinese civilization. The section also revisits key moments in the museum’s early history, including its founding, the adoption of the comprehensive conservation plan, the wartime relocation of cultural relics to the south, and the surveying and mapping of the Beijing Central Axis, showcasing the Palace Museum’s early, often arduous heritage preservation and research efforts. The Meridian Gate Gallery hosts “A Century of Endeavor,” divided into “Reuniting National Treasures,” “Revitalizing Ancient Masterpieces,” and “Regaining Palace Splendor.” Through the lens of artifact acquisitions, allocations, and donations, this chapter tells the story of how the Palace Museum’s collection was built. The section illustrates the historical, artistic, and scientific value of the collections. Through displays on the techniques of painting and calligraphy reproduction and artifact restoration, the exhibition showcases the inheritance of conservation skills. It also presents major architectural conservation projects and innovative renovation practices, including that of the Palace of Tranquil Longevity (Ningshou gong), the Hall of Mental Cultivation (Yangxin dian), and the Hall of Supreme Harmony (Taihe dian), as well as the UNESCO World Heritage nomination for the Palace Museum and the Beijing Central Axis. The East Wing Gallery houses “Myriad Visions of Splendor.” Its three parts: “Continuing the Lineage of Civilization,” “Celebrating a Symphony of Civilizations,” and “Embracing the Supreme Harmony,” presents the enduring significance of China’s 5,000-year civilization, illustrating how the Palace Museum contributes to the fostering of a strong sense of community for Chinese nation, participates in the Global Civilizations Initiative, and promotes dialogue across cultures toward building a community with a shared future for humanity. The three chapters of the exhibition paints a vivid portrait of the Palace Museum’s 100-year journey of perseverance, innovation, and renewal. It embodies the collective efforts of generations of museum staff and the support of society at large. We hope this exhibition will provide visitors with cultural enrichment and fresh insights. It aims to deepen understanding of the Palace Museum, while fostering a stronger appreciation of Chinese cultural heritage. In doing so, it seeks to highlight the wisdom carried by artifacts as a bridge connecting the past and the future, and as a source of shared understanding today. Visitor Information The exhibition runs from September 30 to December 30, 2025. Admission is included with a regular museum ticket and requires advance online reservation via the Palace Museum’s official ticketing website. Please follow the guidance of our staff on-site to ensure an orderly and pleasant visit for everyone. For high-definition digital images of our artifacts, you can explore the “Digital Relics” and “Famous Paintings in the Palace Museum” sections in the Palace Museum’s WeChat mini-program.

On October 1, “An Exhibition Commemorating the Southward Evacuation of the Palace Museum’s Artifacts” opened to the public at the Gate of Divine Prowess (Shenwu men) Exhibition Hall. The exhibition features over 100 items (or sets) of archival documents and valuable cultural artifacts, offering a comprehensive and in-depth exploration of the Palace Museum’s arduous excavation journey to the south. The exhibition on this heroic cultural legacy is co-hosted by the Palace Museum, the National Humanity History Magazine under People’s Daily Press, and the Sheen Chuen-Chi Cultural & Educational Foundation, and co-organized by the Palace Museum’s Archive (Museum History Exhibition Hall) and China Mobile’s Migu Cultural Technology Co., Ltd. The exhibition will run until December 31, 2025.   The exhibition’s opening ceremony was held on September 30 at the Palace Museum. Guests who delivered speeches included Wang Xudong, a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Leadership Group of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and director of the Palace Museum; Xu Lijing, deputy editor-in-chief of People’s Daily Press; Shi Jingwen, secretary general of the Sheen Chuen-Chi Cultural & Educational Foundation; and Xiang Yang, Party secretary and general manager of Migu Cultural Technology Co., Ltd. Other guests included Shen Beili, Party secretary and vice chairperson of the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation; Du Haijiang, Party secretary and deputy director of the Palace Museum; Zheng Xinmiao, former director of the Palace Museum; Li Hui, deputy director of the Cross-Strait Economic and Technological Cooperation Center under the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council; Feng Mingzhu, former director of the Taipei Palace Museum; Li Xiaoliang, deputy director of the General Office of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism; Qing Zhu, second-level inspector of the Cultural Relics and Historic Sites Department under the National Cultural Heritage Administration (NCHA); Zhu Ye, deputy director of the International Exchange and Cooperation Department of the NCHA; Tang Fei, Party secretary and director of the Sichuan Provincial Cultural Heritage Administration; Song Xinchao, chairman of ICOMOS China; and Li Xiaocheng, chairman of the Forbidden City Cultural Heritage Conservation Foundation. Wang Yuegong, vice president of the Palace Museum, presided over the opening ceremony. The southward evacuation was an extraordinary chapter in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression. Artifacts were relocated from North China to different provinces in the country’s southwest region. Over two decades, these precious artifacts travelled thousands of miles—from grand ancient palaces to Western-styled villas in foreign concessions, from modern storehouses made of iron and steel to mountain caves and rural ancestral halls. During those challenging years, individuals, driven by a profound sense of duty, worked tirelessly to preserve the roots and lifeblood of Chinese culture, leaving behind moving stories and enduring legacies.     The exhibition is divided into three sections. The first section, titled “Southward Evacuation and Northern Return: Timeless Guardianship of National Treasures,” offers a comprehensive overview of the drifting and migrating life of the Palace Museum’s artifacts from the 1930s to the 1950s. Featuring archival documents, historical images, and artifacts that were part of the evacuation, it shows in detail the full journey of the evacuation, beginning with relocation from Peiping (now Beijing) to Shanghai and Nanjing. When the war situation shifted, the artifacts were moved in three batches to Sichuan and Guizhou. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, most of the artifacts returned to Beijing, with some preserved in Taiwan due to social changes.               The second section, titled “Revival of Ancient Artifacts and the Continuation of Cultural Heritage,” is a combination of archival documents (e.g. exhibition posters, newspaper albums, item catalogues) and artifacts (e.g. bronze wares, porcelain, jade ware, calligraphy and paintings) carefully selected by the Palace Museum for exhibition at the “Royal Academy Exhibition of Chinese Art” in London, Moscow and Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) during the War of Resistance. The section also included records of calligraphy and painting exhibitions hosted by the Palace Museum in Southwest China to thank the local people for their tremendous efforts in preserving these artifacts.         The third section, titled “Keeping the Torch of Cultural Heritage Alive,” chooses to display artifacts that were moved southward and those that were kept in Beijing side by side. By comparing the similarities and related elements of these artifacts, the section illustrates the integrity, continuity, innovation, inclusiveness, and peacefulness of Chinese culture and the unbreakable bond between the artifacts of the Palace Museum and its counterpart in Taipei. It also includes a sculpture of the people who participated in the evacuation.  This exhibition utilizes archival documents, historical images, and cultural artifacts from the Palace Museum’s collections, and integrates digital media technology to vividly showcase the museum’s southward evacuation—the relocation, storage and exhibition of the artifacts—during the War of Resistance. “An Exhibition Commemorating the Southward Evacuation of the Palace Museum’s Artifacts” portrays the grand, turbulent history and the collective memory of a great civilization.

Dear visitors, Due to public activities in the Tian’anmen area, the Palace Museum will be temporarily closed from August 31 to September 4. The Museum will resume normal business hours on September 5. Please plan your visits accordingly.   We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. If you need any assistance, please call our service hotline at 400-950-1925. The Palace Museum August 24, 2025

As the summer season winds down, the Palace Museum’s 2025 Summer Knowledge Program, a highlight for many students, has successfully come to a close. With the museum approaching its 100th anniversary, this year’s summer program built upon the winter curriculum, featuring two main themes: “The Architecture and Artifacts of the Forbidden City” and “Sports Meet in the Forbidden City.” The program offered a blend of online and in-person learning. From July 17 to 20, eight on-site classes provided students with a direct and engaging museum experience. Following this, an eight-episode series of short online videos was released from August 6 to 13 across multiple platforms, including Douyin, Weibo, WeChat, Toutiao, Xinhuanet.com, CCTV.com and the Palace Museum’s youth website. These videos garnered over 4.4 million views. Here’s a review of the program’s highlights. A Return to the Classics: Experiencing History and Artifacts The “Architecture and Artifacts of the Forbidden City” series featured four of the museum’s most popular educational courses, combining classroom lectures, hands-on workshops, and exhibition tours to take students on a journey into the past. In the “Colors of the Eaves” workshop, students learned about the artistic features of the Palace Museum’s ancient architectural paintings before creating their own shrink-plastic key chains, capturing the vibrant patterns in their miniature crafts. The “DIY Court Beads” workshop focused on Qing court etiquette and attire, with participants stringing their own unique accessories. Two other workshops, “Carving Qianlong’s Seals” and “Keeping Cool in the Palace,” were held at the Guardian Art Center. In the first workshop, students discovered the story of the Qianlong Emperor, an avid collector of seals, and then tried their hand at carving their own rubber stamps, experiencing the traditional scholarly pursuit of expressing oneself through seals. In the “Keeping Cool in the Palace” workshop, participants learned about clever ways the Qing court beat the summer heat and then painted their own elegant designs on glass ice cups. Students enjoy a hands-on cultural workshop A key feature of the program was its integration with current exhibitions. The “Colors of the Eaves” workshop was connected to the “A Thousand-Year Legacy of Caihua” exhibition, while the “DIY Court Beads” class included a tour of the Treasury Gallery. The “Carving the Qianlong’s Seals” and “Keeping Cool in the Palace” workshops were linked to the “Elegance Across Time” special exhibition, a project co-hosted by the Palace Museum and the Guardian Art Center. These tours allowed students to observe the artifacts up close, transforming historical knowledge from books and lectures into a tangible and living experience. Students visit the exhibition and get a closer look at the artifacts An Innovative Experience: Connecting with the Past through Sports The “Sports Meet in the Forbidden City” series, a newly developed educational program by the Palace Museum, drew inspiration from ancient texts and paintings. Combining lectures with outdoor activities, the courses allowed students to experience traditional sports through games and competitions. This summer, the program featured four classic Chinese sports: chuiwan (a game similar to golf), touhu (a game of throwing arrows into a pot), dragon boat racing, and martial arts. After learning about the history of these activities, students gathered in the Palace Museum’s Archery Pavilion area. They practiced their swings in chuiwan, channeling the “golfing fever” of the past. They took on the role of ancient scholar-officials, experiencing the blend of ceremony and skill in touhu. A simulated dragon boat race relived the excitement of ancient tournaments. In a martial arts session, students practiced fundamental moves like the horse stance and punch, showing their own unique take on this traditional practice. Students have fun at a sport meet held in the Forbidden City Looking Ahead: Bringing Cultural Heritage to Life The Palace Museum Knowledge Program, a long-standing educational initiative, continued in the summer of 2025 to explore new approaches to museum learning, especially in the lead-up to the museum’s centennial. Through hands-on workshops, direct engagement with artifacts, and an outdoor sport meet, the program extended learning beyond the classroom. The complementary online video series, which featured content and lengths tailored for today’s social media platforms, helped make cultural and historical learning accessible to a wider audience online. Students engage in the online program The Palace Museum’s educators remain dedicated to preserving cultural heritage while exploring innovative ways to bring traditions to life. In the future, the museum will continue to develop diverse educational programs to foster a deeper connection between the public and fine traditional Chinese culture.