Before you go
How foreigners book the Forbidden City
The Palace Museum (故宫博物院) sells same-day walk-up tickets — everything is reservation-based, and foreign passports book through the official channel.
The rules that matter
- Release time: tickets open 7 days in advance at 20:00 Beijing time. Popular days sell out within minutes.
- Channel: official WeChat mini-program 「故宫博物院」 (Palace Museum). Foreign visitors register with a passport number — no Chinese ID needed.
- Closed Mondays (except national statutory holidays).
- Prices: 60 CNY peak / 40 CNY off-season; the Treasure Gallery and Clock Gallery cost extra.
- Entry: through the Meridian Gate (午门) only, with the same passport used for booking; border-style ID check at the gate.
- Rebooking after a missed slot is restricted — a no-show can block future reservations.
Typical failure
The mini-program is Chinese-only. ChinaPass shows the exact taps, the current release rules, and a Chinese phrase card to show staff if your passport won't fit the booking form — offline.