Forbidden City reopens Yanxi Palace on 1 November

The Forbidden City (Palace Museum) in Beijing is scheduled to reopen Yanxi Palace on 1 November 2026 after a conservation survey. The reopening gives visitors access to a palace that has been closed since 1 September under the museum's building-protection programme.

Yanxi Palace reopens after its conservation survey

The Palace Museum announced that Yanxi Palace would be closed from 1 September to 31 October 2026 for a protective survey of its historic architecture. Its official notice states that the palace will reopen on 1 November 2026.

The change is a reopening of one section rather than a reopening of the whole complex. It matters because access to individual halls and courtyards can change while the wider museum remains open. Travellers planning a November visit can therefore include Yanxi Palace in their route from the date stated by the custodian, while still checking later notices for other temporary restrictions. The museum reopening notice records both the closure period and the planned return to public access.

Yanxi Palace belongs to Beijing's inner court

The palace forms part of the Inner Court, the section of the imperial complex used as the residence of the emperor and his family and for day-to-day affairs of state. The Inner Court includes the Palace of Heavenly Purity, the Hall of Union and the Palace of Earthly Tranquillity, together with the Six Eastern Palaces and Six Western Palaces.

The Forbidden City was completed in 1420 during the Ming dynasty and served as the residence of 24 Ming and Qing emperors. The Palace Museum was established in 1925, and the former imperial palace was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1987. The Beijing government history describes the compound as covering more than one million square metres and containing around 9,000 bays of heritage structures.

That history gives the reopening a specific conservation context. Yanxi Palace is not an isolated modern gallery but one element of a large wooden palace ensemble whose buildings, courtyards and collections are managed together by the Palace Museum.

Visiting Forbidden City: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• Yanxi Palace is scheduled to reopen at the Forbidden City on 1 November 2026, following its closure from 1 September to 31 October for a protective survey.
• The change concerns access to Yanxi Palace. It does not state that every building in the complex has changed status, so visitors should follow the museum's notices and on-site directions for other areas.
• The main visitor entrance is Meridian Gate on the southern side. The official visitor information identifies Gate of Divine Prowess to the north and East Prosperity Gate as exits.
• The complex is in central Beijing, with Tiananmen East and Tiananmen West stations on Line 1 serving the area around Meridian Gate.
• The site is a large palace compound with courtyards, halls and historic buildings. A visit involves walking between separate areas rather than viewing a single enclosed gallery.
• Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.

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Frequently asked questions about Forbidden City

When does Yanxi Palace reopen at the Forbidden City?

Yanxi Palace is scheduled to reopen on 1 November 2026 after a protective survey that ran from 1 September to 31 October 2026.

What is the Forbidden City?

It is the former imperial palace in Beijing, completed in 1420 and now administered as the Palace Museum. The site became a UNESCO World Heritage property in 1987.

Where is the Forbidden City and how do you get there?

The complex is in central Beijing. Meridian Gate is the visitor entrance, and Tiananmen East and Tiananmen West stations on Line 1 serve the area.