palace museum tour

VIRTUAL MUSEUM

Forbidden City, China (Palace Museum)

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The Forbidden City, also known as the Palace Museum, lies in the city center of Beijing, and was once the Chinese imperial palace of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368 - 1911). It was listed as a World Heritage Site in 1987 and is the largest, best-preserved ancient timber-built palace complex in the world. Constructed between 1406 and 1420 during the reign of Emperor Chengzu of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the Forbidden City was home to 24 emperors and their families and acted as the ceremonial and political center of ancient Chinese government throughout 500 years. After the Last Emperor of China left the palace, it later became a museum open to the public in 1925. Since then, the Forbidden City is no longer ‘forbidden’, and now ordinary people are able to take a virtual trip in time to see the secrets and luxury of imperial life. Rectangular in shape, the Forbidden City is enormous, covering an area of 72 hectares, and boasting more than 9,000 bays of rooms. It is divided into two parts – the Outer Court for national affairs in the south and the Inner Court as living quarters in the north. It is not only an immense architectural masterpiece, but also a treasury housing a unique collection of 1.8 million pieces of art, including ancient calligraphy and painting, imperial artifacts, ancient books and archives. A must-see in Beijing and the world’s most visited museum, it is worth spending half to one day to visit the Forbidden City and appreciate the precious cultural heritage of China.

How to Tour the Forbidden City

Recommended guided tours, layout and major palaces.

• Length (north-south): 961 meters (1,051 yards) • Width (west-east): 753 meters (823 yards) • Total Area: 72 hectares (178 acres) • Building Area: 15 hectares (37 acres) Located to the north of the Tiananmen Square , the rectangular Forbidden City is enclosed by a 10 meters (33 feet) high outer wall and surrounded by a 52 meters (57 yards) wide moat . It has four gates: the Meridian Gate (Wumen) in the south, the Gate of Divine Prowess (Shenwumen) in the north, the West Prosperity Gate (Xihuamen) and the East Prosperity Gate (Donghuamen). On each of the four corners of the outer wall, there is a delicately structured corner tower. Standing on the wall or the towers, or seeking a higher viewpoint from the Jingshan Mountain to the north of the Forbidden City, you can get the feel of the truly massive scale of the palace complex. For comparison, the Forbidden City is four times the size of the Taj Mahal of India (18 hectares), which is mainly composed of gardens. Here the Forbidden City, with a multitude of palaces, has a building area even larger than that of the Palace of Versailles in France (11 hectares). The high outer walls enclose a labyrinth of more than 90 palaces and courtyards, with over 9,000 bays of rooms! The layout is in perfect symmetry, with the north-south central axis ingeniously designed for not only the forbidden palace complex, but also the whole of today’s Beijing city. The major palaces extend along the axis, while the minor halls stand on the west and east sides, all being well arranged in five north-south lines: Central Axis, West Wing, East Wing, Outer West Route, and Outer East Route. For different functions, the complex is divided into the Outer Court in the south and the Inner Court in the north. The Outer Court was used for state ceremonials, with three main halls on the central axis, namely the Hall of Supreme Harmony (Taihedian), the Hall of Central Harmony (Zhonghedian), and the Hall of Preserved Harmony (Baohedian), and two wing structures – the Hall of Martial Valor (Wuyingdian) in the west, and the Hall of Literary Glory (Wenhuadian) in the east. The Inner Court was the residential area, including the three central palaces for the emperor and the empress, namely the Palace of Heavenly Purity (Qianqinggong), the Hall of Celestial and Terrestrial Union (Jiaotaidian), and the Palace of Earthly Tranquility (Kunninggong), which are flanked by Six Western Palaces and Six Eastern Palaces for concubines and maids of different ranks. There is an Imperial Garden at northernmost part, affording views and entertainments.

Follow the Experts to Explore the Essence of Forbidden City

How to get to the forbidden city, how to leave the forbidden city, how to buy forbidden city tickets, opening hours, you may like.

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National Palace Museum

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Hours: From Tuesday to Sunday; 10:30 a.m.；2:30 p.m.

Hours: From Tuesday to Sunday; 10:00 a.m.；3:00 p.m.

Hours:10:00 a.m. every Saturdays and Sundays

Hours: Open on Saturdays and Sundays (10:30 a.m.); closed on Apr. 2 (day of Chang Dai-ch'ien's passing), and all other national holidays.

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Virtual tour of the Palace Museum

Crave a tour of the Palace Museum? Check out the Panoramic Palace Museum on the museum's official website.

On this virtual tour, you can have the 600-year-old Forbidden City entirely to yourself, take your time to explore the labyrinth of its halls, gardens and courtyards, as well as learn about the story of every exhibit that interests you. You can also feast your eyes on the museum's most famous snowscape.

Click here to enjoy the tour

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Hong Kong Palace Museum

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How to Visit the Forbidden City - for Discerning Travelers

The Forbidden City is a palace complex in the center of Beijing. It is the largest imperial palace in the world. A visit to the 'Palace Museum' can be a wondrous time, or frustrating and exhausting because of its large scale.

Follow our tips and advice to make your trip more relaxing and enjoyable. Alternatively, you could contact our travel advisors for a tailor-made trip to Beijing including the palace.

Content Preview

What to see in the forbidden city, recommended palace tour routes.

• Best Times to Visit and Ways to Avoid Crowds
• Opening Hours and Tickets Booking

How to Get to the Forbidden City

• Expertly Guided or Self Guided?

Practical Travel Tips

The Forbidden City consists of 980 buildings with more than 8,700 rooms, and holds extensive collections of relics. We recommend you include in your tour the main halls, the priceless collections , and some spots with interesting legends and anecdotes.

6 Popular Halls and Our 4 Recommendations

The six halls on the central line of the complex are the most popular and the most important. Most tour groups only go through these six halls plus a visit to the imperial garden at the end of the tour.

We understand you may hate the idea of only scratching the surface of the palace's mysteries and getting caught in the milling crowds.

We recommend these less-visited halls to the sides of the central axis, for a deeper understanding of the history and culture, and to avoid crowds.

• Hall of Mental Cultivation (Yangxin Dian) was the emperor's bedchamber and office.
• Palace of Compassion and Tranquility (Cining Gong) was where wives of the emperors lived.
• Hall of Literary Profundity (Wenyuan Ge) , the only building covered by a green roof, was the royal library.
• Palace of Prolonging Happiness (Yanxi Gong) , also known as "Crystal Palace", is the only Western-style building, preserved in its unfinished state.

Our 4-Day Emperor Tour offer travelers the opportunity to explore these hidden halls and the history and stories behind them.

5 Exhibitions - Explore the Extravagance of the Emperors

There are more than a million works of art in the Palace Museum collections, including ceramics, paintings, calligraphy, and bronzes.

A visit to some of these collection halls will allow you to have a glimpse of the luxurious life of the palace in centuries gone by.

The main exhibitions are:

• The Clocks Gallery in the Hall of Ancestral Offerings (Fengxian Dian)
• The Treasures Gallery in the Palace of Tranquil Longevity (Ningshou Gong)
• The Paintings and Calligraphy Gallery in the Hall of Military Eminence (Wuying Dian)
• The Porcelain and Ceramics Gallery in the Hall of Literary Glory (Wenhua Dian)
• Bronzeware Gallery in the Palace of Celestial Favor (Chengqian Dian)

A Hilltop View - Marvel at the Magnitude of the Complex

We advise you to add a literal overview of the 'Crimson Palace' complex, an opportunity overlooked by most travelers or tour groups. Enjoy a bird's-eye view of the palace from Jingshan Park, and marvel at its scale and integrated fengshui design.

Most sweeping Forbidden City photos, which may have inspired you on social media, are taken from Jingshan Park.

Our specialists have explored all the facets of the Forbidden City and uncovered the best things to see. They can use their first-hand knowledge to help you decide where to go and what to see, and help create an unique tour for you.

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We understand that, after a long journey to get to Beijing, you probably won't want to rush through the museum in only 2 hours. Allow half a day if you want to travel at an enjoyable pace, or learn more about the imperial palace.

The Standard Tour Route

The 2-hour route follows the central axis to see the largest, but nevertheless similar, six halls along with some museum displays to the left and right of this main axis, and a garden at the end.

This briefest of tours can give you a quick snapshot of the Forbidden City. Expect to be overrun by herds of tourists, getting bogged down or driven aside by the fight-to-the-front, as you try to catch a glimpse of what the timeworn commentary and Chinese cacophony is about.

A Refreshing Half-Day Itinerary: Escape to the Tranquil Side Halls

Want to stay away from the noisy parts of the regular tourist route? Desire to go deep into the history and culture of the Forbidden City? Our half-day itinerary is a great option.

It includes the must-see main palaces (at times when the crowds part) and some lesser known ones , built in different styles and serving different functions, priceless displays , and the bird's eye view from Jingshan (aptly named 'Scenery Hill').

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The Best Times to Visit and Ways to Avoid Crowds

The peak travel season for the Forbidden City is from April to October; the low season is from November to March.

From our experience, the best time to visi t the Forbidden City is from mid-October to the end of November. This short autumn season boasts comfortable temperatures and fewer crowds.

The Forbidden City is always more crowded during weekends and Chinese public holidays such as National Day Holiday (October 1–7) and Labor Day Holiday (May 1–3).

To avoid crowds , we suggest that you:

• Try to arrive either at the 8.30am opening time or in the afternoon, after 2pm.
• Visit during the winter low season, if the dry and cold weather and greatest smog levels wouldn't detract too much from your experience.
• Try to avoid the central axis, which is often crammed with large Chinese tour groups.

Travel with us to skip the lines at the entrance, and avoid the rat-race-route.

Forbidden City Opening Hours and Ticket Booking

The Forbidden City is closed every Monday except national public holidays in China .

Its daily visitor number limit is no more than 80,000. Tickets are usually sold out every day in the high season. The Forbidden City doesn't have tickets on sale on site. Tickets must be bought in advance online .

The Forbidden City is located in the center of Beijing city, north of Tian'anmen Square.

• Location: 4 Jingshan Front Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China

Meridian Gate is the mainly enterance for visitors. There are three ways to get to the Forbidden City:

• By subway: Take Subway Line 1 and get off at Tiananmen West (Exit B) or Tiananmen East Station (Exit B).
• By bus: Take bus 2, 82, or 120 and get off at Tiananmen East Stop.
• By taxi: Show '请带我去故宫' (Please take me to the Forbidden City)

Beijing Airports to the Forbidden City

• From Beijing Capital International Airport: Airport Express - Subway Line 10 - Subway Line 1 or Airport Express - Subway Line 2 - Subway Line 1
• From Beijing Daxing International Airport: Daxing Airport Express - Subway Line 10 - Subway Line 1

Expertly Guided or Self Guided? - Make the Expert Choice

A knowledgeable and well-spoken guide is essential. A good guide will help you discover the stories and culture behind the imperial halls, making your trip more fun and inspiring.

This review from TripAdvisor sums it up quite well:

"Without her (the guide), I think I would have been walking around aimless. So much to see and take in, it is gargantuan and gets a bit samey." - Aisling B, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Three options are available: rent an audio guide, hire a guide at the museum, or have a private guide included in your private tour (as we do).

A private guide is recommended for the best quality experience . He/she can answer your questions, navigate the crowds, and lead you to the best spots for photos.

• 1. The Palace Museum limits its daily number of visitors to no more than 80, 000 . Tickets are usually sold out every day in the high season. So try to arrange your tickets in advance.
• 2. Enjoy a private tour in which your tickets are included. Save your time avoid lining up to purchase tickets.
• 3. Wear comfortable walking shoes! You will be walking or standing for at least 2 hours. Think warmth in winter; breathable in summer. Heel-less sandals are seen as disrespectful.
• 4. Remember to take your passport for ticket booking and the security check.
• 5. For the best experience do some background reading first, and maybe watch a movies like the The Last Emperor .
• 6. If visiting in summer, bring a cap, sunglasses and sun screen for sun protection as the outdoor parts of the museum offer little shade.
• 7. Food and drink: Restaurants, cafes, and kiosks in the museum are limited in variety, and prices are high. It is probably better and cheaper to bring your own snacks and water. Or select a nearby restaurant for your meal when you finish your trip.
• 8. A free luggage storage service is available at both the entrance and exit.
• 9. Stroller and wheelchair rentals: limited number and deposit required.
• 10. Disabled-friendly facilities: The museum is designed to be friendly to wheelchair users, with barrier-free access.

Discover More Hidden Secrets of the Forbidden City with Us

If you are seeking a real journey of discovery , a private tour with a knowledgeable guide is the best option.

Having explored the Forbidden City at least 50 times each, our local guides are familiar with every corner of the Palace Museum. They are skilled at making your trip informative and enjoyable .

Tell us your requirements and one of our specialists will be in touch to plan a unique trip for you .

Here is a sample itinerary for your inspiration:

• Emperor's Tour of Beijing

Start planning your tailor-made China tour by contacting ​one of our specialists.

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Step Inside the Forbidden City

On its 600th anniversary, discover china's famous forbidden city and explore its architectural wonders and precious artifacts, in collaboration with, the home of emperors, where the wisdom and hard work of ancient china is built into every detail, what's so forbidden about the forbidden city, discover how the palace got its name, time for a tour, take a look inside the imperial palace at the heart of china's history, 5 amazing things you have to see, what to keep an eye out for as you look around, from dragon thrones to lion statues, take a walk around, for the first time ever, explore the halls and gates in 360, making an entrance, the doorways with a difference, meridian gate: the entrance to the forbidden city, did you notice these details when entering the forbidden city, explore the gate of heavenly purity, your last stop before stepping inside the inner court, take a tour of the gate of supreme harmony, the largest gate and the grand formal entrance to the forbidden city's outer court, discover the architecture, learn more about the craftsmanship of the halls, what are the three great halls, a group of structures crafted with a great deal of thought and effort, wander around the hall of central harmony, it may be the smallest hall, but it still has a big impact, hall of supreme harmony: where the emperor sits, the most dignified building in the forbidden city, tour the hall of preserving harmony, see the largest bit of ornately carved stone in the forbidden city, you're invited to the imperial wedding, discover the traditions of an ancient chinese marriage ceremony, attend a wedding at the palace, follow the bridal entourage to the grand wedding of the guangxu emperor, see inside the secret wedding chamber, take a peek at where the newlyweds spend their first days - a room not normally accessible to the public, a closer look at the wedding rituals, zoom into these paintings showing the details of ancient chinese imperial ceremonies, the emperor dispatches his chosen envoy, the envoy leads the bridal entourage to the empress, the empress arrives at the palace, the emperor waiting for the empress, spot the dragons, the stories behind the sacred creatures that guard the palace, animal attraction, ever wondered what the lions and dragons mean, iconic artworks, paintings that tell a story, a conversation between confucius and bu shang, a manuscript by the renowned calligrapher ouyang xun (557-641), a closer look at the qianlong emperor's grand inspection armor, see what the emperor wore during large-scale military exercises, see all of the treasures in one place, sealed in history, stamping documents in style, seal of imperial sacrifices to heaven, seal of the great qing receiving the mandate, seal of the emperor, jade seal of the chongzhen emperor, seal of cherishing the virtuous and loving the people, the qianlong emperor's three-connected seals, precious craftsmanship, beautiful, functional, and priceless ornaments, golden bell, silver cup in the shape of a tree-like canoe by zhu bishan, golden celestial globe with pearl inlays, champlevé enamel zun wine vessel in the shape of an ox, gold cup with jewel inlay: eternal territorial integrity, gold ruyi scepter engraved with floral designs, pair of gold crane censers, the beauty in the detail, incredibly intricate tapestries and paintings, a happy scene to welcome spring, learn about the meaning behind the scene, ten-thousand beautiful landscapes under heaven, travel between the real scenes and the artist's imagination, sukhāvatī (the pure land) woven with silk, extraordinary articrafts, ornate objects from everyday life, inksticks with paintings and qianlong emperor's poems, painted enamel basket with peonies, sky-blue glazed ru ware zun vessel with bowstring patterns, loop-handled teapot with ram-head spout, gui serving vessel of zhui, peach shaped container with gold lining, spiritual treasures, holy objects from the palace, mandala of shakyamuni buddha with cloisonné enamel, golden pagoda for containing hair, now test your knowledge, street view.

15 Amazing Palace and Castle Tours you can View Virtually

If you’re like me, you’re getting bored of your houses’ four walls. And you’re dreaming of adventures and new places to explore. But while we wait out this period of stay-at-home orders, there are still ways we can travel the world virtually ! Many times in my travels, I’ve long admired the beauty of grande palaces and fairytale castles. There is nothing I like better than walking the gilded halls of royal residences. All the while imagining what it must have been like to live in these fantastic places. Well, now you can imagine it for yourselves, but in the comfort of your own home. And best of all – without any tourists to scramble past or queues to wait in!

Schönbrunn Palace

Schönbrunn Palace  was the primary summer residence of the Habsburg rulers, located in Hietzing, Vienna. The name  Schönbrunn  means “beautiful spring” as the palace was located beside a large freshwater reserve. The palace is perhaps best known for the 1,441 fantastical Baroque and Rococo interiors. The amazingly preserved nature of the palace has been deemed a UNESCO world heritage site . You can walk through the palace room by room through Google Arts and Culture virtual tour . To support the tour, you can go to the palace’s website to get more information on the history of each room. On the site, you can get details on the design of the interior and the incredible decorative arts which embellsih each of the incredible rooms.

If you would prefer a video tour, then you can watch the 4K video below. This video leads you throughout the exterior and interior of the palace. The beautiful classical music playing throughout provides an immersive experience. With the music surrounding you, one can better imagine what it would have been like to attend a lavish court ball in the palace.

Palace of Versailles

The Palace of Versailles was the main royal residents for the kings and queens of France since 1682. The palace was built under Louis XIV, who originally owned a small hunting lodge on the grounds. Over the years, he transformed the small lodge into this incredible chateau! Google Arts and Culture have set up an amazing set of stories, tours, photo galleries, and more to help visitors digitally experience the history and wonder that is Versaille .

If you’re looking for something absolutely 21st century, then you need to check out “ VersaillesVR The Palace is Yours .” On this app, Versaille has been captured in VR. This allows anyone with a VR headset to explore the palace in 360° . Everywhere you move your head, the camera follows like you are really there. You can see the King and Queen’s State Apartments, climb onto the stage in the Royal Opera House, discover the Hall of Mirrors, and walk right up to tapestries, paintings, sculptures and furniture! You can even switch to night mode to explore the palace by the light of the chimney fires.

If you don’t own a VR headset, you can still explore the rooms in 360° using the website Poly . On this site, you can click on a variety of Versaille’s interior rooms and explore them in detail . There are even info icons that are clickable to see more information. From there you are able to learn all about the history of the rooms you’re exploring.

Buckingham Palace

Pretty much everyone has heard the name Buckingham Palace , but I’m guessing far fewer of you have been inside. Buckingham Palace, located in London, is the royal residence of the Kings and Queens of England. If you’ve been watching the Netflix series, ‘ The Crown ‘ you’ll be even more interested to learn and see the REAL interiors which the show tries its best to emulate.

The palace is home to 775 rooms, the most lavish of which are the State Rooms . These are used for official and state entertaining. They are only open to the public during August and September. The reason for this is that the royal family spends their summers in Balmoral and are not in royal residence. Since the public has such a small window to view the rooms they remain a rare sight to see. But not anymore!

The Royal Collection Trust has created an online gallery and tour of the palace’s State Rooms . Some of the rooms can be explored in 360° so you can look all around you like you were really there! Throughout the scenes, you can click on the information icons to get more details about the space.

Doge’s Palace

Found in the fairytale city of Venice is the incredible Doge’s Palace . A Doge was the Venetian chief magistrate and the closest thing the city would get to have their own King. The palace was built as his residences in the center of Venice, right on St. Mark’s Square . It was originally built in 1340 but modified many times throughout the centuries. In 1923 it was transformed into a museum with some of the cities most precious works of art. Today, you can view the interiors of the palace through a Google Arts and Culture virtual tour. With this guide you can explore and learn all about the history of the building as well as walk through their masterful gothic interiors.

If you’re looking for a more complete tour of the palace, then head over to Musement for one of their guided virtual tours . With this tour, you can explore the Doge’s Palace along with a complete audio narration. To go along with the audio track are beautiful pictures of the building, as well as satellite and views of the palace and its surroundings. Through the power of storytelling, you’ll really feel like you’re there.

Pena Palace

I’ve been lucky enough to visit many different palaces throughout my travels. But my favourite of them all has got to be Pena Palace! Located outside of Lisbon , in the town of Sintra , Pena Palace is the ultimate in romantic castles. The palace was built atop the foundations of an old monastery. King Ferdinand took ownership of the land in 1838 and set out to transform the ruins into a fantastical summer residence for his family.

The bright red, yellow and purple-grey colours of the facade immediately made it so unique. The multicoloured Portuguese tile, Azulejo , add another magical touch that makes the palace such a visual draw. Today you can view the palace from high above as if you were flying over it in a helicopter. AirPano gives us a bird’s eye view over the top of this amazing palace. From up high you can study parts of the structure that you’d never be able to see otherwise.

If you’re are looking for a more informative tour, you can check out my Ultimate Self Guided tour . I have so many pictures and a detailed account of my time there. While it was written as a guide for people visiting the site in person, with all the pictures and descriptions I think you’ll be able to imagine what it’s like to really be there.

The Château of Chambord

The Château de Chambord is one of the great palaces of France. Built in the 16th century for Francis I , the place is located in the center of the stunning Loire Valley . The palace blends French Renaissance architecture with traditional medieval structures. The most iconic part of the castle is surely the 800 sculpted columns and elaborately decorated roof. Francis, wanted these columns to resemble the skyline of Constantinople. The Google Arts and Culture exhibit studies the history of the castle. It features a multitude of archaeological discoveries, which delves into the wonders of its construction. Seeing the palace in both photographs and architectural layouts allows you to appreciate the technical skill which was involved in creating such a masterpiece. And hundreds of years ago, without modern technology to boot!

Once you’ve finished reading the article, you can head inside the castle and explore it virtually . My favourite part of this castle is all the intricately sculpted bits of stone decor. Near the grand staircase, you’ll find 200 finials and a patterned ceiling with a variety of characters, both mythological and religious, dotting the vaults. Looking down on you like little spies.

Bolsover Castle

Bolsover Castle , located in the small town of Bolsover in the English countryside, is known as the “ little castle. ” The name comes from the fact the main “castle” structure is surrounded by these large fortifications. The juxtaposition of the expansive courtyard and huge winged terrace makes the castle appear even smaller. The castle was built in the 17th century above the ruins of a 12th-century medieval castle. Today, it remains one of the best examples of Jacobean architecture. The palace was built as a retreat for banqueting and pleasure by William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Newcastle. While the castle might not strike you as anything special right away, its secrets are hidden inside. William was obsessed with creating puzzles to flatter and amuse his guests. The Google Arts and Culture exhibit aims to help you unravel the mysteries inside Bolsover’s Little Castle . 

Neuschwanstein Castle

To view the interiors of the palace , you can head over to their official website . From there you can follow along with their visual tour. It’s amazing to see the level of decoration and detail which went into the castle. So many aspects of the castle look more like a Byzantine church than a castle. My favourite room of the palace has got to be the ‘ Singers’ Hall .’ This was also the King’s favourite room in the entire palace. It occupies the whole of the fourth floor. The room’s design pays homage to the German legends of Lohengrin, the Swan Knight. Look closely for little swan icons hidden in the frescoes.

Bran Castle

Bran Castle , located on the Transylvanian side of Romania, is better known by the public as “ Dracula’s Castle” . While there is no evidence, Bram Stocker even visited the castle, and the castle itself bears no resemblance to the one in the book, the legend remains. Perhaps the main reason for the connection is due to its revelance to Vlad the Impaler. Vlad was the true to life inspiration for the character of Dracula. Vlad III or Vlad the Impaler was the ruler of Wallachia from 1448 to 1476. His legendary name comes from the fact that Vlad had the bodies of his enemies impaled on large spikes to ward off invading Ottomans and Hungarian. His rule was rutheless and he would punish his enermies as well as his citizens just a brutally.

While Vlad never owned Castle Bran , there are rumours that he was once imprisoned there after his capture by the Hungarians. Historical records show that he was imprisoned in Budapest. But since the castle is so foreboding and dramatic, it was colloquially referred to as his prison.

Today the castle is now a museum playing host to objects and furniture collected by Queen Marie , the last Queen of Romania. You are able to explore the exterior and interiors of the building through google street view. While the Romanian castle might not be as opulent and grand as others around Europe, I think seeing this kind of art and architecture is such an important and interesting contrast.

The castle’s official website also offers visitors video tours of the castle . I especially love the video filmed of the Castle during a winter snowfall. It looks both so picturesque and haunting at the same time in the chill of winter. There is also a complete castle gallery to get a better look into the furnishing and art inside the palace. 

The Taj Mahal also called the ‘ Crown of the Palace ‘ was commissioned in 1632 by emperor Shah Jahan . He had the palace made as a tomb for his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal . And when he died, he was buried there as well, with his true love. It’s fascinating to know that one of the most beautiful structures in the world is actually a giant tomb. The ivory-white marble mausoleum sits on the southern bank of the river Yamuna in the Indian city of Agra. Today it is one of the 10 “ Man-Made Wonders of the World “. The Google Arts and Culture exhibit , ‘ Four Secret Spots at the Taj Mahal ,’ takes you a street view tour of the lesser-known corners of India’s most iconic structure. There are so many discoveries I made looking through this virtual guide and I loved learning about those otherwise unknown secrets.

Miramare Castle

Miramare Castle is one of the great Italian castles. Built in the 19th-century on the Gulf of Trieste , the castle was made for Austrian Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian and his wife, Charlotte of Belgium , who would go on to become Empress Carlota of Mexico . The interiors of the castle have been captured in 360 , and you can walk the halls of the palace yourself! 

To view the exteriors of the castle, there are some great videos online which make you feel like you’re really there! The castle’s grounds were designed by the archduke himself. They include some incredible landscaping featuring tropical species of trees and plants. The videos just make you want to jump right into that blue water that surrounds the castle.

Chapultepec Castle

A perfect segway from Miramare Castle is over to Mexico to Chapultepec Castle . This was Charlotte of Belgium’s residence when she became Empress Carlota of Mexico. I was amazed upon visiting the castle that such a thing existed in the modern metropolis of downtown Mexico City. Chapultepec Castle’s name comes from the Nahuatl word” chapoltepēc”, which means “at the grasshopper’s hill.” The hillside was for hundreds of years a sacred place for the Aztecs. In the 18th century, before the palace was built, the hillside was home to a gunpowder warehouse and military academy. Then in 1864, it became the official residence of Emperor Maximilian I and his consort Empress Carlota.

Carlota went to great care and expensive to remodel the palace into a luxurious residence. It was used as an official residence of the President of Mexico from 1883 until 1939. After which it was turned into a museum. My blog all about my visit to the castle is a highly detailed summary of all the wonders you’ll find there. YouVisit also has a wonderful virtual tour you can take to view parts of the palace in 360 degrees!

Catherine Palace

The Catherine Palace is a Rococo palace in Tsarskoye Selo just outside St. Petersburg , Russia. This was the summer residence of the Russian tsars, built in 1710 by Peter the Great for his wife Catherine I. The original palace for Catherine was only 16 rooms large, a fraction of the size it is now. When Catherine the first died, the palace was inherited by her daughter Elizabeth I. Elizabeth took upon expanding the palace into the grand structure it is today. Although none of the original rooms from Catherine’s time remain, her daughter loved her so much she always wanted it to be named after her.

In this 45-minute video tour, you are lead through the palace by guide  Nadezhda Mironenko . You can see the details that architect Rastrelli took such great care in creating. He was a baroque visionary and took such great care in ensuring the palace was the gem of the baroque age. You’ll visit the Grand Hall, the Golden Suite and the  Amber Room  (the so-called eighth wonder of the world). The Amber Room is a chamber covered floor to ceiling in amber panels, backed with gold leaf and shimmering mirrors. The interior is absolutely overwhelming, and even though you can’t be there in person, you can still be in awe of the spectacle in front of you.

Matsumoto Castle

Matsumoto Castle is one of Japan’s best-preserved historic castles. It is located in the city of Matsumoto, in Nagano Prefecture. The castle also goes by the nickname “ Crow Castle ” because of its black exterior. Because the original wooden interiors and external stonework remain from the 16th century, it has been listed as a National Treasure of Japan. The Discovery Makes Knowledge youtube channel has a lovely video guide that leads you through the castle. Throughout the video, you get a great understanding of the history and meaning behind so many aspects of the palace.

After getting a primer with the video, head over to the Palace’s official website to get extremely detailed explanations about everything around the castle. You can use google street view to walk the castle’s ground and follow along with the website’s guide.

Lobkowicz Palace

The Lobkowicz Palace is one of the largest palaces inside Prague Castle. It was built in the 16th century by the Czech nobleman Jaroslav of Pernštejn . For many years, their doors remained closed to the public, used only by the palace’s residents. But in 2007, the building was transformed into a museum. Inside it features a great collection of artworks and decorative items from the Lobkowicz Collection . You’ll find paintings by Antonio Canaletto, Pieter Brueghel the Elder, Lucas Cranach the Elder, and Diego Velázquez hung on the walls. You can also see musical instruments, original manuscripts and early prints of composers, including Beethoven and Mozart .

One of my favourite Czech youtube channels, The Honest Guide , produced this fantastic exclusive video during the height of lockdown in Prague. Lobkowicz Palace is a privately owned building and the channel was given private access to tour their collection. Since Prague was in lockdown there were no public visitors so they had the whole place to themselves.

Start the video about 12 minutes in to begin right as they enter the museum. What makes the tour so interesting is that the guide is actually a descendant of the family who owns the palace! His stories and selection of favourite pieces inside the museum really make it feel more intimate and personal experience. They had some technical difficulties with the sound but stick with it as the information you get is fantastic!

I hope you enjoyed this guide of my favourite palaces around the world you can still visit online! In one day you’ll be able to travel across the globe and see some of the most opulent and ornate state rooms and royal galleries! Let me know in the comment what your favourite palace was or where you would like to visit virtually!

Happy (virtual) Travels, Adventurers!

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Museums of Beijing #86: The Forbidden City (Palace Museum)

By Simon Cockerell

Everything You Need To Know On Visiting The Forbidden City / Visiting The Palace Museum

The Forbidden City, China (Palace Museum)

Just What Is The Forbidden City?  Where Is The Forbidden City?  "Palace Museum" or "Forbidden City"? How Big Is The Forbidden City?  Forbidden City History Visiting The Forbidden City - ALL You Need To Know. Forbidden City Final Thoughts... 

The Forbidden City in China is one of the must-dos in Beijing. And that's for a reason! 

Visiting the Forbidden City, otherwise known as Palace Museum, can be a little tricky, though. Despite how many foreigners visit it annually! 

So we went ourselves and put together this guide of all you need to know, what you should expect, and how to make the most out of your visit to the Forbidden City, Beijing. 

FORBIDDEN CITY QUICK FACTS... 

Just what is the forbidden city .

(Not a city. Nor forbidden.) 

The Forbidden City (which is not a city, nor is it forbidden – these days at least) is the former Imperial Palace of the later Chinese Dynasties. This is the most well-known and heavily visited museum that appears on the Museums of Beijing list, and one that almost every visitor to Beijing will be including in their itinerary.

Where Is The Forbidden City? 

The Forbidden City is situated in the geographical heart of Beijing, directly north of Tiananmen Square and Tiananmen Gate, and directly south of Jingshan Park.

It is located at the nexus point of the east-west axis of Chang’an Street and the north-south axis of the city as well.

Nowhere in China is more significantly located or, perhaps, more famous.

"Palace Museum" or "Forbidden City?

The Palace Museum is technically the museum operated inside the Forbidden City. Although, the terms can be used interchangeably in almost all cases.

How Big Is The Forbidden City? 

Big. The Forbidden City is so big, in fact, that it is the largest museum in the world.

The whole Palace Museum is spread over a massive 720,000 square meters. It is the largest museum in the world, and includes nearly a thousand buildings.

There is a future plan to have 95% of the palace open to the public. So, more and more areas are opening all the time.

Forbidden City History

The Palace itself dates from the early 15th Century. It was built from 1406-20 in the Ming Dynasty. There were previous palace complexes of course, but the Forbidden City we see today is very much a Ming/Qing creation.

It was in constant use from the time of the Yongle Emperor until the overthrow and abdication of Pu Yi, the Last Emperor. He was then evicted from this site in 1925.

This is when it first initially opened as a museum.

Visiting The Forbidden City - ALL You Need To Know.

Introduction.

Of course, I had been here before.

Just as more or less all first-time visitors to Beijing make sure to include a visit here. I did so first in the summer of 1999, and came again in 2001, and then in 2002. Since then, I have not set foot in the Forbidden City. Largely because it is daunting in terms of scale and the time needed to do it properly.

But as part of this Museums of Beijing project, I knew I needed to come again. So I got in touch with Jeremiah Jenne of Beijing by Foot, who leads amazing walking tours around Beijing.

Enhanced by his encyclopaedic knowledge of the city and Chinese history, he generously accompanied me on a private tour which focused on some of the parts of the Forbidden City which had opened since my previous visits.

Limiting Visitors

At the time of my visit (mid-September 2021) visitor numbers are limited to 30,000 per day. In normal times (since 2015 anyway) this number has been capped at 80,000. You also need to book in advance and plan ahead.

There are large numbers of people of course and the majority will be in local tour groups. Most ply a central route from the south to the north of the complex and taking in mostly the highlights.

These are amazing of course, but there are gems aplenty in the side alleys and gardens of this place, as I was to find out.

Entrance to the Forbidden City 

The entry point for all visitors is the south gate. The normal way to get here would be to start in Tiananmen Square and walk under Tiananmen Gate and the panoptical visage of you-know-who to the expansive entrance area.

You register for your ticket at one of the booths. Then, pass through a couple of checkpoints to start the visit.

Jeremiah and I entered instead at Donghuamen (the Gate of Eastern Prosperity). This lies to the southeast of the palace. Walked around part of the moat to the main entrance. This was simply for convenience and to avoid the multiple checkpoints needed to go into Tiananmen Square.

This is a good tip for anyone wanting to park a bike nearby and to see a bit of the moat area that is usually skipped.

The southern part of the Forbidden City is dominated by the large squares and ornate massive gates and halls that everyone has seen at least pictures of. Places the emperors performed their ritual roles, reviewed troops, celebrated significant occasions, received dignitaries, and so on.

Working Through The Forbidden City 

These are the iconic places dominated by the Hall of Supreme Harmony in the center of the palace.

This is where most visitors will be found, They make their way gradually north, and take in the highlights. This is very much worthwhile, and the opportunities for amazing views and photos will satisfy any visitor at all. No matter how many times they have seen curved roofs and temple and palace halls before! It is a genuine marvel of the world and not to be missed.

But the side parts, with far fewer visitors, are something that should be sought out too. They are (as Jeremiah put it very well) how the royal residents of this place would have experienced the palace as their home and residence.

Inside The Forbidden City 

Smaller gardens, courtyard complexes, temples, offices, and more. This is where the folks who lived here spent much of their time. Rather than the ceremonial times in the main areas.

And it is much more of a ‘city’ in these areas too.

With small parks, alleyways, homes, living quarters, and much more... I won’t go through all the buildings we visited. But, highlights included the residence of the Chongqing Dowager Empress (Qianlong’s mum), and the small building holding the Grand Council of State. This was the kind of private intelligence unit of the emperor and his closest advisors. The rear of the city, the north side, is much denser in terms of buildings than the southern part. With more alleyways, residences, administrative areas, and so on. This is much more akin to a city too than the ceremonial part of the Forbidden City. While the main south to north route runs through the middle, still it is very advisable to branch off to do more exploring. It is fair to say that no one visitor on one single visit will be able to see it all or learn it all.

But you can just do your best!

Leaving The Forbidden City

The exit of the Forbidden City is at the north end. Or, one can exit back at the main entrance. You can also do as we did - back out of Donghuamen or another gate.

Finishing at the north side gives one access to the nearby Jingshan Park and an amazing view over the Forbidden City from the top of the artificial hill there. So, it is recommended for those looking to finish a visit here with such a sight.

Group Tours of The Forbidden City

Many local group tours of the Forbidden City will smash through the place in merely an hour. This is barely enough time to slowly walk the 1km from the entrance to the exit.

Even those in a rush will need more than two hours to scratch the surface. While those with a deeper interest and a bit more energy could spend four or more hours here easily.

If you’re making a visit and aiming to be there for a while, then seek out a coffee shop (there are a few, and they are not priced as predatorily as they could be) and bring some food (or try one of the restaurants) as you’ll need the energy. Also, consider a guided tour. There is just so much history. So many personages. So much to know about the place that it can be daunting without some proper understanding of context.

Jeremiah is very much the man to go to for this and I can recommend his walking tours without any reservation whatsoever. For the beginner or for those who think they know it all already! 

The Palace Museum/Forbidden City is rightly a canonical site on the tourist route around Beijing. And deservedly so. It is an architectural marvel containing permanent and temporary exhibits which are curated to international standards (plenty of detail in English too, translated perfectly). A wealth of attractions for any level of interest. And a sense of being in a place of great importance and significance.

Forbidden City Final Thoughts... 

It is true, of course, that much of the treasure of the city was carted off to Taiwan with the retreating KMT back in 1949. But the idea that this left the Beijing Palace Museum an empty vessel is very much incorrect.

There is a vast amount of wealth in terms of art, porcelain, militaria, and much more still here and on display. Enough to impress and exhaust anyone in my opinion.

So, if you are visiting Beijing, or if you simply haven’t been there in a while, the Forbidden City is one that should be on your list!

Just allow enough time to walk around the whole place, and don’t just stick to the main path up the middle!

To contact Jeremiah check out the Beijing by Foot website , Jeremiah's website , and follow him on Twitter .

Be sure to ask him the story of why there is an arrow embedded in this board in one of the internal gates of the Forbidden City!

Koryo Tours Museums of Beijing

Simon Cockerell

Simon has been Koryo’s General Manager since 2002. He has travelled to North Korea more than 175 times and has probably been to the country more than any other Westerner. He is a respected speaker on the country and appears regularly in international media. He is also a tour specialist in Kazakhstan , Turkmenistan , and the Russian Far East  where he has personally designed and led multiple tours over the years.

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Tours & Admission

Visit ʻIolani Palace with our popular tour options: a Guided Tour with a Palace Docent and a Self-Led Audio Tour. Both options include a tour of the first and second floors of ʻIolani Palace followed by a self-guided exploration of the basement gallery exhibits. It is suggested you allow approximately 60-90 minutes for either tour.

Tour options vary based on the day of the week and the time. Tickets sales are online only. No walk-ups and same-day reservations.

Book A Tour

Members of The Friends of ʻIolani Palace : To reserve your complimentary tour ticket(s), please call Reservations at 808-522-0832 or email [email protected] .

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Make a reservation by calling 808-522-0832 or click below to book your tour online.

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOUR VISIT

As ʻIolani Palace is a sacred place, we kindly ask guests to be dressed in a manner that is respectful of its cultural and historical significance.

• Shirts and footwear are required; you will also be asked to wear shoe coverings provided by the Palace.
• Bathing suits and beachwear (including beach coverups) are inappropriate attire and not permitted.
• Clothing displaying profanity is not allowed.

Photography

We encourage Palace visitors to take selfies and share their experiences and are welcome to take photos of the ʻIolani Palace interior, exterior, and grounds for personal use. The following are not permitted:

• Flash photography
• Videotaping
• Audio recording
• Tripods/monopods or selfie sticks
• Extended lenses

Commercial photography is strictly prohibited without prior written permission from ʻIolani Palace and the Hawaiʻi State Film Office.

Children under 5-years-old are free and must be in a front-held infant/child carrier, safely strapped in a stroller provided by ʻIolani Palace, or holding the hand of an accompanying adult at all times. Personal strollers are not permitted inside the Palace; there is no charge to use a Palace stroller. If the child is being disruptive, Palace personnel will ask that the child be taken outside.

Please respect all roped off areas and obey all posted signs placed throughout the interior and exterior of ʻIolani Palace.

Personal Belongings

The following are not allowed inside ʻIolani Palace:

• Food and beverages

Service Animals

Service animals are permitted on the premises. We ask that you notify the reservations office and/or the cashiers before entering ʻIolani Palace.

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Moscow Metro

The Moscow Metro Tour is included in most guided tours’ itineraries. Opened in 1935, under Stalin’s regime, the metro was not only meant to solve transport problems, but also was hailed as “a people’s palace”. Every station you will see during your Moscow metro tour looks like a palace room. There are bright paintings, mosaics, stained glass, bronze statues… Our Moscow metro tour includes the most impressive stations best architects and designers worked at - Ploshchad Revolutsii, Mayakovskaya, Komsomolskaya, Kievskaya, Novoslobodskaya and some others.

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The guide will not only help you navigate the metro, but will also provide you with fascinating background tales for the images you see and a history of each station.

And there some stories to be told during the Moscow metro tour! The deepest station - Park Pobedy - is 84 metres under the ground with the world longest escalator of 140 meters. Parts of the so-called Metro-2, a secret strategic system of underground tunnels, was used for its construction.

During the Second World War the metro itself became a strategic asset: it was turned into the city's biggest bomb-shelter and one of the stations even became a library. 217 children were born here in 1941-1942! The metro is the most effective means of transport in the capital.

There are almost 200 stations 196 at the moment and trains run every 90 seconds! The guide of your Moscow metro tour can explain to you how to buy tickets and find your way if you plan to get around by yourself.

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Armory Chamber (Museum)

Armory Chamber is one of the oldest museums of Moscow, established at the beginning of 19 th century and located in the Moscow Kremlin. Treasures of the Armory currently features some four thousand exhibits, spanning the 12ht through early 20 th centuries. The museum collection is made up of unique items, which were preserved for centuries in the royal treasury and in the Patriarch’s sacristy.  The private tour can be arranged at the time that best suits to your sightseeing itinerary.

• Duration: 1,5-2 hours
• Admission fee:  1000 rub, tickets for visitors under 16 are free of charge.
• Photo/Video:  Amateur photography and video recording at the Armoury Chamber are prohibited.

Founded by Great Prince Vasily III in the early 16 th century, the Armory was originally a workshop manufacturing military equipment for com bat and parades.

In the 17th century, the  first Romanov rulers had the Armory' expanded, making it the largest artisan’s shop in the Kremlin. The best Russian gunsmiths, jewelers and icon painters worke d here side by side with their international counterparts from Germany, Poland and elsewhere in Eastern Europe.

Peter I ordered active manufacturing operations moved to the new capital — St. Petersburg, while the Kremlin Armory remained a depository' of old military and church artifacts.

The Armory had no building of its own, so the exhibits were constantly moved around until Alexander I upgraded the Armory's status to an Imperial Museum, and ordered a building erected for it by the Troitskie (Trinity) Gate, where the State Kremlin Palace now stands.

Emperor Nicholas I personally contributed to the design oi l lie existing Armory, which was at that point viewed as the Romanov family museum since many' of its original exhibits had been stolen or looted during the “Time of Troubles" in 1605-1612. Opened in 1851, the Armory became Moscow’s first public museum of history.

Treasures of the Armory currently features some four thousand exhibits, spanning the 12ht through early 20th centuries.

The exhibits include:

• Russian and foreign military equipment and trophies;
• church relics from Kremlin churches and the Patriarch’s Sacristy;
• ambassadorial and other gifts to Moscow Tsars, Tsarinas, and Emperor Alexander I
• Russian Imperial regalia, royal crowns and garments;
• 17 th -19 th century coronation attire, coronation and wedding dresses of the Empresses, traditional Russian clothing;
• silver goblets and o the r royal table­ware; everyday items with the images of Peter I and Russian Empresses;
• items from the Stables Office; parade outfits for horses, created by Russian and foreign tailors, historical carriages, tapestries and trellises;
• other unique artifacts.

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• Earth Hour – Saving our planet one hour at a time Once a year, all around the world, you can notice the lights dimming in many city areas and landmarks, people gathering with candles and chanting slogans. You might think what is being described is a blackout or global electronic disruption of some sort, but this is not the case.
• Kremlin Grounds and Cathedrals Moscow Kremlin tour with personal guide offers you a real insight into the most astonishing world heritage sites, including Cathedral Square with its elaborately ornamented churches and gorgeous sprawling palaces. You are bound to experience unforgettable emotions from visiting the cathedrals and then strolling through Tainitsky Garden.
• Ice Replica of Moscow City in Miniature on Poklonnaya Hill During the winter holidays from December 30, 2015, through January 13, 2016, the exciting exhibition project “Icy Moscow: In the Family Circle” attracted thousands and thousands of citizens and visitors of all ages, from the very young to the very old, to Victory Park on Poklonnaya Hill in the capital of Russia to watch artists carve miniature copies of Moscow’s major attractions out of ice.
• Grand Kremlin Palace Special tour to the Grand Kremlin Palace, the Official Residence of the President of Russian Federation which is not open to the general public. Duration: 1-1,5 hours. Must be booked in advance.

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