Forbidden City (Palace Museum) Tours and Tickets

There are plenty of ways to experience the Forbidden City (Palace Museum) in Beijing. Looking at ratings and reviews previously given by customers, these are the best tours available right now:

• All-Inclusive Tour: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, and the Great Wall

• 4-Hour Small-Group Tour to Forbidden City With Entry Tickets

• Beijing Full-Day Tour: Tiananmen Sq, Forbidden City, and the Great Wall

• Beijing Forbidden City Ticket Booking (Optional: guide service)

• Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square Small-Group Tour With Ticket (Eng/Esp Guide)

Standard Forbidden City tickets start from ¥40 and need to be booked in advance via the somewhat cumbersome official Palace Museum website. To skip any reservation hassles and visit nearby Tiananmen Square, too, opt for a prebooked combination ticket that’s sent to you before your trip: options start around US$15.

Yes, the Forbidden City is one of the world's largest palace complexes, and it holds UNESCO World Heritage status for its wealth of well-preserved wooden structures. Grandeur aside, a visit to the Forbidden City offers a unique insight into Chinese Imperial power during the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Per one customer who booked the Beijing Forbidden City Ticket Booking (Optional: guide service), "This was such a lovely tour of the Forbidden City. Our group was not too large, about nine people. Our guide, Summer, was a very experienced and knowledgeable guide. There was so much to see, and Summer was a great storyteller with extensive knowledge. I highly recommend this tour. And ask for Summer if she is available."

Yes, the Forbidden City is open to tourists and is not, in fact, forbidden. However, not all areas are accessible at all times. Around 70 percent is accessible at one time, with other areas closed for restoration or maintenance. Further, the city is closed on Mondays, except on public holidays.

Tourists can visit ancient buildings, galleries, palaces, throne rooms, gardens, and other public and once-private areas in the Forbidden City. Galleries display furniture, weapons, sculptures, clocks, porcelain, calligraphy, arts, treasure, and more. You also can climb parts of the 32-foot (10-meter) wall for views across the citadel and Beijing.

Most tourists who have the Forbidden City on their bucket list make a beeline for the three great halls which were significant to the Chinese government during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The emperor would change his clothes in the Hall of Preserving Harmony. Meanwhile the emperor used the Hall of Supreme Harmony, located at the Forbidden City’s central axis, for ceremonies. It’s the largest wooden structure in China. The Hall of Central Harmony is the third hall, where the emperor would rest.

The best time to visit the Forbidden City is spring (April–May) and fall (September–November). This is when the weather generally is good for exploring the complex. April to October is the busy peak season. Visit in the early morning or later afternoon during these months to avoid the thickest crowds.

There is no specific dress code for visiting the Forbidden City, and tourists in China generally can wear whatever they like. Wear comfortable shoes for walking—this palace complex is the largest in the world—and dress appropriately for the season’s weather, as there are both indoor and outdoor areas.

Many visitors make a 2–3 hour trip to the Forbidden City to see the highlights, but this is the minimum amount of time. You could spend a full day or more at the Forbidden City learning about Chinese history, culture, art, and architecture among the 900+ buildings in the complex.

When you're done visiting the Forbidden City, there are many other exciting attractions and historical landmarks to visit in the city and beyond. Per other travelers, here are some of the top sites to discover:

• Mutianyu Great Wall

• Tiananmen Square (Tiananmen Guangchang)  

• Summer Palace (Yiheyuan)

• Temple of Heaven (Tiantan)

• Great Wall of China  

View Viator's guide to all the best attractions in Beijing.