【The Palace Museum Roaming Guide｜Golden Routes Refined Over Six Years and Ten Visits】 Complete Guide to Entering the Palace → Ticket Snatching Tips

【The Palace Museum Roaming Guide｜Golden Routes Refined Over Six Years and Ten Visits】

🎫 Complete Guide to Entering the Palace
→ Ticket Snatching Tips: Be ready exactly at 8:00 PM, 7 days in advance; prioritize the "Ticket + Treasure Gallery + Clock Gallery" combo ticket
→ Shortcut Entrance: Subway Line 8, Jin Yu Hutong Exit C → Donghua Gate → Stroll along Tongzi River to Meridian Gate (avoid crowds at Tiananmen)
→ Thoughtful Service: Store luggage after security check at Meridian Gate, pick up at Shenwu Gate exit, roam light and freely

👑 Three Classic Routes
▎First Encounter with the Forbidden City (2.5 hours)
Meridian Gate → Cross Inner Golden Water Bridge → Taihe Gate → Three Great Halls → Palace of Heavenly Purity → Hall of Union → Palace of Earthly Tranquility → Imperial Garden → Shenwu Gate
✨ Suitable for those short on time, experience the royal grandeur along the central axis

▎Treasure Exploration Route (4.5 hours)
Adds to the central axis route:
Clock Gallery (marvel at exquisite mechanics) → Treasure Gallery (gold, silver, and jade sparkle brilliantly)
⚠️ Note: Entry stops at 4:10 PM in peak season / 3:40 PM in off-season

▎Deep Immersion Tour (7 hours)
Morning: Wuying Hall ceramics → Cining Palace sculptures → Shoukang Palace original displays → Lunch at Ice Cellar Restaurant
Afternoon: Treasure Gallery → Clock Gallery → East and West Six Palaces → Imperial Garden → Shenwu Gate viewing platform
🌅 Recommended to bring your own snacks and find a spot under the red walls in the west courtyard of the Palace of Earthly Tranquility for dining

🌸 Seasonal Exclusive Scenery
• Mid-March: Magnolia at Zhongcui Palace reflecting on red walls
• Around Qingming Festival: Pear blossoms with rain at Shoukang Palace, crabapple blossoms like clouds at Wenhua Hall
• Grain Rain Season: Peonies competing at Cining Palace, wisteria waterfalls at Yonghe Palace
• Winter Solstice Wonder: Afternoon golden light piercing through the "Upright and Bright" plaque at Palace of Heavenly Purity

💎 Hidden Experiences
→ Wuying Hall Literati Tea House: Enjoy porcelain, tea, and bamboo shadows
→ Ice Cellar Restaurant: Taste Palace Museum mousse amid historic relics
→ Shenwu Gate City Wall: Climb high to overlook Jingshan Park’s Wanchun Pavilion
→ Corner Tower Café: Savor a "A Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains" latte and reminisce your journey

📜 Touring Tips

Enter the palace at 8 AM through Meridian Gate, capture the golden roof of Taihe Hall in the morning light

Arrive at the Treasure Gallery before 10 AM to avoid tour group crowds

Rest at Wanchun Pavilion in the Imperial Garden in the afternoon, listen to the wind chimes at the eaves

Climb Shenwu Gate before sunset to watch the dusk gild the glazed tiles