Visiting the Forbidden City, now the Palace Museum, requires one essential thing: book online in advance with your passport number, because no tickets are sold on the day. The museum is closed on Mondays (except national public holidays), caps attendance at 40,000 visitors a day and imposes a one-way route, from south to north. This guide brings together the museum’s official rules, a calculation of the daylight available each month and a route depending on your time.
The Forbidden City is the heart of any stay in the capital: for the rest of your program, see our guide to visiting Beijing.
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Forbidden City: the essentials
- Opening hours: 8:30 am-5 pm from 1 April to 31 October (last entry 4 pm); 8:30 am-4:30 pm from 1 November to 31 March (last entry 3:30 pm) — checked on 15 October 2026 on dpm.org.cn
- Closing day: Monday, except national public holidays; the museum is open on those Mondays, except on the eve of Chinese New Year; occasional closures possible — checked on 15 October 2026 on dpm.org.cn
- Standard price: CNY 60 in high season (1 April-31 October), CNY 40 in low season; Treasure Gallery and Clock Gallery: CNY 10 each — checked on 15 October 2026 on dpm.org.cn
- Booking: mandatory in practice: no sales on the day of the visit; passport number required for foreigners; cap of 40,000 visitors per day — checked on 15 October 2026 on dpm.org.cn
- Duration: the museum offers 2-hour, half-day and full-day routes — checked on 15 October 2026 on dpm.org.cn
- Prices recorded on 15 October 2026 and subject to change: check before you go.
Tickets: official vs resellers
The official channel is the Palace Museum’s online ticket office, to which the « Visit » page of the official website points. The museum states that it does not sell tickets on the day and recommends booking in advance, for individuals and groups alike. For any ticketing question, it gives the address bookingticket@dpm.org.cn.
Agencies and platforms resell guided tours that include entry. These are not official ticket offices: check that the ticket is named in your name and passport, otherwise the check may refuse entry. We show no price difference, as we did not record both prices on the same day. The museum’s rules also warn against people who hand out advertisements or sell products around the site.
Official discounts (the museum’s Chinese page): half price for ages 60 and over on presentation of an original ID, a student rate (CNY 20) for students up to undergraduate level, free entry for people with disabilities on presentation of their card, but no discount for the companion. Free entry for under-18s is aimed at Chinese citizens and permanent residents: according to this text, it does not apply to foreign tourists. Children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult (maximum 3 children per adult).
Opening hours and closing days
| Period | Opening | Last entry | Last entry Treasure and Clocks | Closing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 April – 31 October | 8:30 am | 4 pm | 4:10 pm | 5 pm |
| 1 November – 31 March | 8:30 am | 3:30 pm | 3:40 pm | 4:30 pm |
The museum is closed all day on Mondays, except legal public holidays. Hours may be extended or shortened during holidays; the museum announces changes on its website. Partial closures are under way or announced: the Gate of Supreme Harmony (Taihe men) under works since 3 August 2026, Yanxi Palace closed from 1 September to 31 October 2026 (reopening announced for 1 November).
Best time to visit the Forbidden City
The CMA normals in our Beijing guide give April-May and September-October as the best periods; the Forbidden City is largely outdoors, which makes July, with 210 mm (8.3 in) of rain, and the winters, with nights at -7 °C (19 °F) in January, less comfortable. The table calculates, for each month, the daylight available between opening (8:30 am) and closing or sunset, and the sunset time so you can follow up with the view from Jingshan Hill.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Sunset | Museum closing | Beijing max temp | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:34 am | 5:13 pm | 4:30 pm | 2.7 °C (37 °F) | 2.1 mm (0.1 in) |
| February | 7:08 am | 5:49 pm | 4:30 pm | 6.5 °C (44 °F) | 5.6 mm (0.2 in) |
| March | 6:26 am | 6:20 pm | 4:30 pm | 13.4 °C (56 °F) | 9.6 mm (0.4 in) |
| April | 5:37 am | 6:52 pm | 5:00 pm | 21.3 °C (70 °F) | 21.6 mm (0.9 in) |
| May | 5:00 am | 7:22 pm | 5:00 pm | 27.6 °C (82 °F) | 34.7 mm (1.4 in) |
| June | 4:45 am | 7:44 pm | 5:00 pm | 31.0 °C (88 °F) | 84.8 mm (3.3 in) |
| July | 4:57 am | 7:42 pm | 5:00 pm | 32.0 °C (90 °F) | 209.5 mm (8.2 in) |
| August | 5:25 am | 7:11 pm | 5:00 pm | 31.2 °C (88 °F) | 119.7 mm (4.7 in) |
| September | 5:54 am | 6:24 pm | 5:00 pm | 26.8 °C (80 °F) | 53.3 mm (2.1 in) |
| October | 6:24 am | 5:35 pm | 5:00 pm | 19.5 °C (67 °F) | 27.8 mm (1.1 in) |
| November | 6:58 am | 4:58 pm | 4:30 pm | 10.6 °C (51 °F) | 15.1 mm (0.6 in) |
| December | 7:28 am | 4:50 pm | 4:30 pm | 4.0 °C (39 °F) | 2.5 mm (0.1 in) |
Reading: from November to January, the sun sets around 4:50-5:15 pm, shortly after the museum closes (4:30 pm): leaving by the north gate, you reach Jingshan Hill, right opposite, at sunset time. In summer, sunset is well after closing: plan Jingshan for the end of the day.
Crowds: the only official figure published is the cap of 40,000 visitors per day. Avoid Chinese holidays (1 May, Golden Week from 1 to 7 October, Lunar New Year) and book as early as possible for these periods.
Suggested route and duration
The museum imposes a one-way visit: mandatory entry through the Meridian Gate (Wu men), in the south, and exit through the Gate of Divine Prowess (Shenwu men), in the north, or the Donghua gate, in the east. The official website offers three options: 2 hours, half a day and a full day.
- 2 hours: central axis: Meridian Gate, the halls of Supreme Harmony, Central Harmony and Preserving Harmony, then the Palace of Heavenly Purity and the imperial garden, north exit.
- Half a day: central axis + Palace of Mental Cultivation and the six western or eastern palaces (depending on closures that day).
- Full day: add the Treasure Gallery (Palace of Tranquil Longevity, with the Nine-Dragon Screen) and the Clock Gallery, separate tickets at CNY 10.
- After the visit: Jingshan Hill, opposite the north exit, for the overview; see our guide to things to do in Beijing.
Official dimensions to give a sense of the effort: 961 m (3,153 ft) north to south, 753 m (2,470 ft) east to west, 720,000 m² (178 acres), surrounded by 10 m (33 ft) walls and a moat 52 m (171 ft) wide. With the paved courtyards, the central route alone is already close to a kilometer (0.6 mi) of walking.
Getting there
According to the museum, access to the Meridian Gate is from Tiananmen Gate through the Duan Gate (Tuesday-Sunday, 8 am-4 pm; closed Monday). Nearest metro stations: Tiananmen East and Tiananmen West, line 1. The museum has no car park and recommends public transport; the nearest public car park, on Jingshan Houjie street, has few spaces — checked on 15 October 2026 on dpm.org.cn. You go through the security checks at Tiananmen Square, passport in hand.
Accessibility
The service map on the English website lists accessibility facilities, stroller rental, a left-luggage office, an infirmary and a nursing room; the Chinese page mentions barrier-free passages. The area is vast and paved, with thresholds and steps in front of the halls. People with disabilities enter free of charge on presentation of their card, but must book.
Common mistakes (official rules)
- Coming without a reservation: no tickets are sold on the day.
- Scheduling the visit on a Monday: weekly closure, except on a national public holiday.
- Forgetting the passport used for the booking.
- Trying to enter from the north: entry is only through the Meridian Gate, in the south.
- Arriving after 4 pm (3:30 pm in winter): last entry.
- Using flash or a tripod in the exhibition halls, smoking, bringing an animal: forbidden by the rules.
- Accepting offers from unofficial sellers or guides around the site: the museum warns against scams.
What to see nearby
Tiananmen Square to the south, Jingshan Hill to the north and Wangfujing street to the east are described in our guide to visiting Beijing. For a day outside the city, our page on the Great Wall of China from Beijing compares the Badaling and Mutianyu sections. To choose your dates, see the best time to visit China.
A short history of the Forbidden City
The Forbidden City was built from 1406 to 1420 under the Yongle Emperor, who was moving his capital to Beijing. It was the seat of imperial power of the Ming and Qing dynasties until 1911: 24 emperors lived there. The palace covers 72 hectares (178 acres) and has, according to UNESCO, nearly 10,000 rooms. It has been on the World Heritage List since 1987 and open to the public since 1924.
Why « Forbidden City »?
Its full Chinese name, Zijincheng, translates as « Purple Forbidden City »: forbidden because the palace, the residence of the emperor, his family and their household, was closed to the people. Today, Chinese people mostly call it Gugong, « the former palace ».
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to enter the Forbidden City?
CNY 60 from 1 April to 31 October and CNY 40 from 1 November to 31 March, plus CNY 10 for each of the Treasure and Clock galleries, recorded on 15 October 2026 on the official website.
Can you buy your ticket on site?
No. The Palace Museum does not sell tickets on the day of the visit: book online in advance with your passport number.
Which day is the Forbidden City closed?
Mondays, except national public holidays (apart from the eve of Chinese New Year).
How long does it take to visit the Forbidden City?
The museum offers 2-hour, half-day and full-day routes; half a day is enough for the central axis and some of the side palaces.
Where do you enter the Forbidden City?
Only through the Meridian Gate, in the south; you leave through the north gate or the east gate.
Our sources
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre, no. 439 « Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in Beijing and Shenyang » (whc.unesco.org), consulted on 16 October 2026
- Wikipedia, « Forbidden City » article (construction dates, emperors, area, opening to the public, names), consulted on 16 October 2026
- Palace Museum (dpm.org.cn): English « Visit » pages and Chinese « 导览 » pages (hours, prices, discounts, access, rules, announcements), consulted on 15 October 2026
- Climate normals: China Meteorological Administration (CMA), 1991-2020, Beijing (Haidian) station, see our Beijing page
- Astronomical calculations: NOAA solar algorithm (Global Monitoring Laboratory), IANA Asia/Shanghai time zone, applied by Destination de Voyage at the site’s coordinates (15th of each month, year 2027)
- Our methodology
Updated November 2026. Prices and hours may change: check the official website before you go.
