For these photos, I made a special trip to the Palace Museum…

🎫 Ticket Reservations: Search for the "Palace Museum" mini-program on WeChat. Tickets are released 7 days in advance at 20:00. Be sure to set a reminder to purchase tickets on time. The ticket price is 60 yuan. 🕐 Opening Hours: 8:30 - 17:00, ticket checking stops at 16:30. Closed on Mondays (except for legal holidays and summer vacation). Ticket checking starts at 7:30 during the summer vacation. It is recommended to go early. 🎒 Items to Prepare: Comfortable walking shoes👟, sun hat👒, sunscreen, and a power bank. You can bring a small amount of snacks and water, but self-heating food is not allowed. 🚗 Transportation Guide 🚈 Subway: Take Line 1 to Tiananmen East Station, Exit B or C, and walk about 10 minutes to Meridian Gate; or take Exit B from Tiananmen West Station to reach West Huamen. 🚌 Bus: There are many bus routes that reach the vicinity, but pay attention to the walking distance after getting off and the traffic conditions. 🚕 Taxi/Car: Not recommended, as parking is difficult and traffic is often congested around the area. 👣 Tour Routes 🍀 Classic Central Axis Route (2-3 hours): Meridian Gate (ticket check entrance) → Gate of Supreme Harmony → Hall of Supreme Harmony → Hall of Central Harmony → Hall of Preserving Harmony → Gate of Heavenly Purity → Palace of Heavenly Purity → Hall of Union → Palace of Earthly Tranquility → Imperial Garden → Gate of Divine Might (exit). This route concentrates the most core and magnificent buildings of the Palace Museum, allowing you to quickly appreciate the imperial style and historical charm. 🍀 In-depth Panoramic Route (4-5 hours): Meridian Gate → Gate of Supreme Harmony → Hall of Supreme Harmony → Hall of Central Harmony → Hall of Preserving Harmony → Left Wing Gate (or Right Wing Gate) → Hall of Literary Glory (Painting and Calligraphy Gallery) / Hall of Martial Valor (Ceramics Gallery) → Return to the central axis via the Gate of Heavenly Purity → Six Eastern Palaces (Palace of Eternal Spring, Palace of Benevolent Tranquility, etc.) / Six Western Palaces (Palace of Gathered Elegance, Palace of Eternal Harmony, etc.) → Imperial Garden → Palace of Earthly Tranquility → Hall of Union → Palace of Heavenly Purity → Hall of Clocks (Hall of Ancestral Worship) → Treasure Gallery (Ningshou Palace area) → Gate of Divine Might. This route covers the main palaces, exhibition halls, and the Six Eastern and Western Palaces, allowing you to fully experience the rich history and culture of the Palace Museum. 🌴 Recommended Attractions -🌟 Hall of Supreme Harmony: The largest and highest-ranking building in the Palace Museum, commonly known as the "Golden Throne Hall." The golden coiled dragon ceiling and the carved dragon gold-lacquered throne inside the hall are extremely spectacular and symbolize imperial power. - 🌟 Palace of Heavenly Purity: The living quarters of the Ming and Qing emperors. Behind the "Upright and Bright" plaque is a box containing the secret decree for the succession of the Qing emperors, carrying important historical allusions. - 🌟 Hall of Clocks: Houses a collection of exquisite Chinese and foreign clocks and watches. Some of the clocks are still functioning, and there are unique time-telling performances every hour, which are truly eye-opening. - 🌟 Treasure Gallery: Displays a large number of imperial gold, silver, jewelry, jade, and other treasures, such as the Golden Ou Perpetual Harmony Cup, showcasing the superb craftsmanship of ancient times. 🍽 Dining and Rest 🍹 Dining: The Ice Cellar Restaurant in the Palace Museum offers simple Chinese meals, specialty drinks, and culturally creative popsicles. There are also snack kiosks in each area where you can buy water, bread, and other food items. -⭐ Rest: There are benches in many places within the Palace Museum. The pavilions and corridors in the Imperial Garden are also good places to rest. You can sit down and rest whenever you are tired. 📝 Tips: 🙅🏻‍♂️ Prohibited Behaviors: Strictly prohibited from carrying lighters, controlled knives, and other dangerous items. Do not touch cultural relics or cross railings. Maintain civilized behavior during your visit. 🙅🏻‍♂️ Protection of Cultural Relics: Do not use flash photography in indoor exhibition halls to avoid damaging the relics. ❤ Crowd Management: The Palace Museum has a large number of visitors during peak tourist seasons. Pay attention to your personal belongings and avoid crowding and pushing in narrow passages and popular attractions.