Summary
- Tickets for most tourists will cost NT$350.
- Visit on a weekday during breakfast or lunch.
- Don’t post photos of exhibits on commercialized blogs.
- Check out Shilin Night Market or Chiang Kai-shek residence afterward.
Important Information
| Hours | 9 AM–5 PM (Every day) Closed on Mondays |
| Admission Price | Regular ticket: NT$350 |
| Group ticket: NT$320/ea. | |
| Discount ticket: NT$150 * | |
| Dress Code | Website only says to “dress appropriately” ** |
| Avg. Time Spent Here | 2 hrs |
| Address | Sec 2, Zhi Shan Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111 |
| Chinese Name | 國立故宮博物院 |
| Included in Taipei Fun Pass? | Yes |
* This ticket’s only available to Taiwanese citizens, students with a valid student ID, & foreigners holding an alien permanent resident certificate (APRC). ARCs don’t count.
** To play it safe, avoid dressing in short shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, or similar clothing. Their website says to dress appropriately, but they don’t specify what defines appropriate. Thus, the rule is allegedly up to interpretation by the staff.
The National Palace Museum (NPM) Taipei houses Chinese imperial artifacts in Taiwan. Culture enthusiasts, history buffs, and art lovers should visit it. Its collection spans millennia, exhibiting stunning artistry and historic value.
Now that you know what the museum is and how to get tickets, you’ll need to follow some rules.
National Palace Museum Taipei Rules
Summary
The National Palace Museum (NPM) has rules for guests, including camera guidelines and restrictions on food and pets.
The National Palace Museum (NPM) requests guests follow these rules [1]:
- Groups of 10+ must rent audio touring headsets.
- Camera rules:
- No audio recording.
- Must disable camera flashes.
- You can’t take pictures of some artifacts (they’ll have signage).
- Don’t block foot traffic when taking pictures.
- Don’t use tripods & selfie sticks.
- Those recording for commercial use must file an application prior.
- No food or drinks allowed.
- Don’t be loud.
- Don’t run, smoke, or litter.
- No pets, oversized items, or toys are allowed.
- You must leave bags at the museum checkroom.
Wait, you don’t know how to get here? Let’s change that.
How to Get There
Summary
Take the MRT Red like or Brown line to Shilin, Dazhi, or Jiannan Rd. Stations. From there, take one of the buses to the museum.
Take the Taipei MRT Red Line to Shilin Station. Or you could take the Brown Line MRT to Jiannan Rd. Station or Dazhi Station. Choose whatever station is closest to where you’re coming from.
Cost will vary by station you depart from.
From there, you could walk for 39 minutes or take one of the many buses.
Here are all your options:
| Closest MRT Exit | Available Buses | Drop Off Point |
|---|---|---|
| Shilin Station Exit 1 | 300, 304, & 815 | Bottom of the hill |
| R30 | Main Building Entrance | |
| S18, S19, 255, & M1 | Across the street of bottom of the hill | |
| Dazhi Station Exit 3 | BR13 | Across the street of bottom of the hill |
| Jiannan Rd. Station Exit 1 | BL7 | Across the street of bottom of the hill |
| BR20 | Main Building Entrance |
When coming from Shilin Station, I recommend taking 300, 304, or 815 to explore the most of the Museum. R30 is best for those who don’t have as much energy and only wants to see the museum.
Dazhi doesn’t give you any options. And BR20 for Jiannan Rd. is the ideal bus to take.
Bus fare will cost NT$15. You’ll need to pay by change (least recommended) or a smart card like EasyCard (most recommended), icash 2.0, and iPASS. I recommend using the latter since you won’t need to dig for change.
Let’s see when the best time to visit the museum is.
Best Time to Visit National Palace Museum Taipei
Weekdays (except Monday) in the morning, or during lunch, are the best times to visit the NPM. Most tourists will probably have their breakfast or lunch around that time. Giving you enough time to navigate the museum peacefully for a couple of hours.
Most tourists will probably head to the museum around 1 or 2 PM. Whereas, most locals are at work, which reduces the potential for more people to show up.
Before arriving, you’ll want to know what to do.
Here’s What to See
Summary
Avoid the restaurants because they’re pricey. Explore the exhibits inside the museum. And once you’re done, check out one of the gardens outdoors.
Avoid the restaurants because they’re pricey. Explore the exhibits inside the museum. And once you’re done, check out one of the gardens outdoors.
The National Palace Museum has the following sections on each floor:
- 1st floor:
- Buddhist statues
- Ancient furniture
- 2nd floor:
- Calligraphy, documents, & rare books
- Ceramics
- 3rd floor:
- Jades
- Bronzes
- Jadeite cabbage
- Meat-shaped rock
If you find yourself invested in the history and are reading everything on each exhibit, you’ll likely spend a few hours inside the museum.
Once you’re done, explore the outside if it’s not raining or if you don’t feel like the heat will melt your body.
There’s the courtyard, which has plenty of nice photo opps. It also has the Tien-Hsia-Wei-Kung Archway. And afterward, there are 2 gardens; Zhishan and Zhide.
Zhishan garden is a garden based on ancient Chinese gardening and building techniques. You’ll find plenty of plants and koi fish here. And it’s a nice place to breathe in fresh air while sipping down a drink from one of the many vending machines.
Zhide Garden is much smaller. It has a small pavilion and a pond. However, in fall, you can get a whiff of lotus and olive wafts.
This area has a few restaurants, but they’re very pricey and aren’t renowned. I recommend venturing to Shilin Night Market afterward and checking out the food stalls and restaurants around there.
Now that you’ve seen everything, you should spend more money.
Best Souvenirs
Summary
- Miniature jadeite cabbage
- Miniature meat-shaped rock
- Postcard
- Fine China
- Coasters
- Scrolls
- Magnets
- Other glassware
Most folks will want to buy the miniaturized meat-shaped rock or jadeite cabbage. Each cost less than NT$300 and will easily fit into carry-on and checked luggage. I wish they had bigger sizes for a more prominent display. But what they have is smaller than a thumb.
Postcards are the cheapest souvenirs that are super lightweight. These cost around NT$49 each. And if you intend on mailing them, the first floor has a post office where you could send it to a family, friend, or associate.
Or:
You could mail bigger items. Because I saw massive scrolls that cost over $1,000 (USD). There’s no way you could fit these in your bags and would require mailing. Making the post office convenient.
The scrolls they have here are beautiful and are highly recommended if you’re looking for a splurge. I would have bought some if I wasn’t taking the bus home from the museum.
Fine China, teapots, and other glassware are also other Taiwan-made souvenirs that would make great additions to your home. So long as you have the money.
And if you don’t have the money, consider magnets or coasters. They don’t cost much or require much room. Even one-bag travelers could fit these souvenirs in their bags without worry.
The party’s not done here. You’ll now need to find other places to go.
Where to go After National Palace Museum, Taipei
Summary
Visit Chiang Kai-Shek Residence, Jiannan Mountain, or Miramar Entertainment Park if you finish at the museum during the day. Go to Shilin Night Market if you finish in the evening.
If you finish at the museum early in the day, the closest things for you to do are the Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines and Jiannan Mountain. I recommend the former if you want more history. And the latter if it’s a nice day and not fall.
I recommend avoiding hiking during the fall because that’s when it’s breeding season for Asian hornets, which is when they’ll get aggressive [1].
If neither option is viable, take a bus toward the city area in Shilin District and visit the Chiang Kai-Shek Shilin Residence. It’s a place filled with history about Chiang Kai-Shek and beautiful flowers.
Folks visiting on hotter days will want to take the bus to the Miramar Entertainment Park. It’s an air conditioned shopping center that has a giant ferris wheel on top.
What if you finish at the museum toward closing time (5 PM)?
Take a buses 小18 or 小19 to Shilin Night Market. These buses will pick you up at the end of the plaza outside the museum and will take you to the outskirts of the night market.
Once there, you could peruse the various food stalls and restaurants and get some grub.
I’ve got nothing else to cover. Check out other Taipei destinations to plan your itinerary.