National Palace Museum Entry Ticket

The National Palace Museum in Taipei

Set against green hills in the Shilin district, the National Palace Museum is Taiwan's most visited museum and a must for anyone curious about Chinese civilisation. The palace-style building, with its pale walls and green-tiled roofs, opened here in 1965 to house treasures that had been carried across China and the sea during the turbulent 1930s and 1940s, many of them once kept in the imperial palace in Beijing.

The collection is so vast that only a small part is on show at any time, and displays rotate regularly, so even repeat visitors find something new. Is the National Palace Museum worth visiting? For lovers of art, history or fine craftsmanship, it is easily one of the highlights of Taipei, and the calm, air-conditioned galleries make it a perfect choice on a hot or rainy day.

Treasures Inside: Jade, Porcelain and Calligraphy

The galleries trace Chinese art from Neolithic jade discs and ritual bronzes through to the refined porcelain of later dynasties. Visitors often head first for the Jadeite Cabbage, a small carving that turns the natural green and white of the stone into a cabbage with two insects hidden in its leaves, and the Meat-shaped Stone, a piece of jasper carved so skilfully that it looks like braised pork. Both are displayed when not on loan or rotation.

Beyond these icons, look for the delicate pale-blue Ru ware ceramics, the miniature carvings in ivory, olive stone and bamboo, and the long scroll paintings of mountains and rivers. The multimedia audio guide included with this ticket brings these pieces to life with stories and context, so you understand what you are seeing rather than walking past glass cases.

Zhishan Garden

Next to the museum lies Zhishan Garden, a classical Chinese garden laid out in the style of the Song and Ming periods. Winding paths lead past lotus ponds, carp, stone bridges, waterfalls and elegant pavilions, framed by trees and rock gardens. It is a calm space designed for slow wandering, and a lovely contrast to the busy galleries.

Entry to the garden is included with this ticket, so plan 20 to 30 minutes here before or after the museum. The garden is particularly pretty in the morning light and after rain, when the stone paths glisten and the ponds reflect the pavilions. It is also a pleasant place to rest with older travellers or children between gallery visits.

Planning Your Visit: Opening Hours and How to Get There

The National Palace Museum opening hours are usually 09:00 to 17:00, and the museum is closed on Mondays, so plan your day accordingly. Arriving at opening time is the best time to visit the National Palace Museum, before tour groups fill the most popular rooms. Allow about 2 to 3 hours for the main highlights, and more if you love ceramics or painting.

To get to the National Palace Museum, take the metro to Shilin station and then a short city bus ride or taxi up the road to the museum. Large bags must go in the paid lockers, and photography rules vary by gallery. Across the road, the Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines, available as a combo option on this page, introduces Taiwan's indigenous cultures.