The National Palace Museum (國立故宮博物院) holds the art of the Chinese imperial courts: Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasty paintings, calligraphy, bronzes, jade, ceramics and curios. Most of it came from the Qing court collections that became the Palace Museum in Beijing's Forbidden City in 1925, and was later moved to Taiwan. If you see one museum in Taipei, this is usually the one.
- Hours Tuesday to Sunday 09:00 to 17:00; tickets sold until 16:30. Closed Mondays, except listed Monday openings (in late 2026: 9 November and 7 December)
- Entry NT$350. Free for visitors of any nationality aged 17 and under
- Address No. 221, Sec. 2, Zhishan Rd., Shilin District
- MRT Shilin Station (Red Line, R16), then a 15-minute bus
Tickets
- Regular: NT$350.
- Discount, NT$150: Taiwan (R.O.C.) citizens, and students with a valid International Student Identity Card (ISIC).
- Free: everyone 17 and under, people with disabilities plus one companion, and members of ICOM or the American Alliance of Museums.
Buy at the counter or as an e-ticket on the museum's website. The basement children's gallery (B1 of Exhibition Hall I) is free. Special exhibitions in Exhibition Hall II have their own tickets.
Getting there
There is no MRT station at the museum, so you finish with a short bus ride. The museum recommends:
- From Shilin Station (Red Line, R16): walk 1 to 2 minutes from Exit 1 to the bus stops on Zhongzheng Road and take bus R30 (紅30), which goes right to the B1 entrance. Buses 815, 304, 300, 255, S19, S18 and M1 also go, stopping at the bottom of the hill or across the road. About 15 minutes.
- From Jiannan Road Station (Brown Line, BR15): Exit 1, turn right on Beian Road, then bus BR20 (棕20) to the B1 entrance or BL7. About 10 minutes.
- From Dazhi Station (Brown Line, BR14): Exit 3 to Beian Road, then bus BR13. About 10 minutes.
The bus is a one-section fare, NT$15, and you can tap your EasyCard. → How Taipei's buses work
Planning your visit
Exhibition Hall I is the main building. Give it at least half a day; it is a big collection and the displays change through the year, so the famous pieces are not always out. If you are coming for one object, such as the Jadeite Cabbage (翠玉白菜), check the museum's Current Exhibits page before you go.
Outside, the Chinese-style Zhishan Garden (至善園) keeps the same hours as Exhibition Hall I and is free, and the Zhide Garden is open all year, also free.
Good to know: the museum is a natural rainy-day plan, and it pairs well with dinner at Shilin Night Market, back down the hill near Jiantan and Shilin stations.
→ More Taipei museums · A rainy day in Taipei · Things to do
Sources
Hours, Monday openings, tickets, gardens and transport from the National Palace Museum's Hours, Admission and Public transportation pages, and its History of NPM. Address from Taipei Travel. Checked October 2026.