The Palace Museum has been a landmark destination for art and history enthusiasts. (Photo : REUTERS)
The Palace Museum officials have confirmed that the western section of the Imperial Palace compound will be opened to the public--a first in 90 years.
The opening up of the museum, located in the Forbidden City, is slated on Oct. 10, but the anticipation among history enthusiasts is already fever-high.
"People are really looking forward to seeing it because it used to be a place where empresses lived," Wang Zilin, the deputy director of the Palace Museum, shared, adding that they have invested a lot of effort to restore the section.
The museum's western section is home to the popular Shoukang and Cining Palaces.
"The place is very large, with beautiful furnishings inside the palace, including the best things found during the reign of Emperor Qianlong. We have restored it entirely to what it looked like during that period," Wang added.
The western part's Cining Palace served as the home of Empress Dowager Cixi. For the opening, the place was dressed as an exhibition hall where spectators can view some 1,200 pieces on display.
Meanwhile, the 600-square-meter Shoukang Palace has been restored to become reminiscent of what it was during the time of Emperor Qianlong, which took place from 1735-1796.
The Palace Museum has been a famous destination for art and history aficionados, may they be Chinese nationals or foreigners. The opening up of its western section is expected to further boost its popularity.
Tickets for the historic unveiling is already available. The daily limit for the number of tickets to be sold is 80,000.
