Beijing’s Forbidden City finally opens to the publlic

BEIJING, China – Exciting news: almost all portions of the Beijing’s Palace Museum, also known as the Forbidden City, will be opened to the public after decades of several sections being off limits

BEIJING, China – Exciting news: almost all portions of the Beijing’s Palace Museum, also known as the Forbidden City, will be opened to the public after decades of several sections being off limits for visitation.

Starting in 2020, 80% of the popular site will be open (up from the current 65%), with a goal of 85% in the long-term. This is a major change from the previous 30% accessibility, just over 10 years ago.

Among the newly opened areas will be the western section of Imperial Palace compound, which houses the renowned Cining and Shoukang Palaces and served as home to China’s ancient empresses; the section will be open for the first time in 90 years.

Several other areas of historic architecture are also being restored in preparation for the wider opening, and previously private ancillary facilities are being revamped to use as display areas for thousands of pieces of Ming and Qing Dynasty furniture and artifacts.

In addition, parking spots and car lots that are currently located within the Palace Museum grounds will be moved outside the walls of the museum, making the area completely pedestrian only.

These changes are in addition to other efforts made recently to reduce overcrowding and improve guest experiences at the Palace Museum (such as online ticket purchases, limited number of visitors per day, ongoing restorations and new exhibits, and better signage and accessibility).

About the author

Avatar of Linda Hohnholz

Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

Share to...