A guardian lion awaits visitors of the palace. (Photo : Amazing Places on Our Planet/YouTube)
The museum needs no further promotion.
With summer coming around, throngs of tourists are expected to visit the Palace Museum, which made museum authorities set a limit on the number of daily visitors to ensure quality and comfortable experience for everyone.
According to the Palace Museum official website, the public is hereby advised that only 80,000 can be accommodated every single day.
Though tickets can still be purchased on the site, visitors are further advised to book tickets online in advance. Admission tickets can be purchased 10 days in advance if done online.
Located at Jingshan Qianjie in Dongcheng District in Beijing, the museum opened its doors to 15.25 million visitors last year. This year, the number of tourist arrival may further increase.
Beginning July 6 until Aug. 26, museum hours will be from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Last tickets will be sold on site at 4:00 p.m., and visitors will be allowed entry until 4:10 p.m.
Brimming with magnificent collections particularly from the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1912) dynasties, the museum offers a spectacular feast for the eyes and generous servings of Chinese culture.
Permanent collections include its bronze vessels on exhibit at the Palace of Celestial Favour and Palace of Eternal Peace. The walls alone are worth mentioning.
Guided tours are available. Visitors have four options if they want a tour guide to lead them around the historical grounds: a 2-hour tour, a half-day tour from Meridian Gate to Gate of Divine Prowess, a half-day tour from Gate of Divine Prowess to Meridian Gate, and a whole-day tour.
For those who won’t make it because of the limit but are still raring to know what’s inside the museum, they can log on to the official website of the Palace Museum and engage themselves in a virtual tour of the palace.
Of course, for the real thing, better book early.
