National Palace Museum Museum

Address: No. 221, Sec. 2, Zhishan Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City 111, Taiwan

Website: https://www.npm.gov.tw

Hours: Tue-Sun 8:30am-6:30pm; Fri open until 9pm; closed Mondays

Admission: Adult admission typically NT$350 (check website for current rates and discounts)

The National Palace Museum in Taipei houses one of the world’s largest collections of Chinese imperial artifacts and artworks, with a collection numbering in the hundreds of thousands. The museum’s holdings span millennia of Chinese art, including ceramics, jade, painting, bronzes and calligraphy.

Visitors see rotating selections from the extensive collection in the museum’s main exhibition halls and in special exhibition galleries that allow fragile or high-demand objects to be displayed on controlled schedules. Famous small-format works and intricately carved jades are among the collection items that draw particular attention.

The core collection was transported to Taiwan in the mid-20th century and the museum’s current Shilin building opened in the 1960s; since then the institution has expanded its conservation, research and exhibition programs. The museum operates regular rotations of material to balance public access and long-term preservation.

The museum is located in Taipei’s Shilin District and is accessible by city transit and road links, serving as a major cultural destination within the Taipei metro area.

• Collection size: The museum’s collection contains over 700,000 cataloged artifacts spanning several millennia of Chinese art and material culture, with many items kept in rotation for conservation.
• Highlights: Highlights frequently on display include well-known carved jades and small-format imperial objects that are rotated through the main halls to limit light and handling exposure.

What to See#

• Main exhibition halls: The museum’s main exhibition halls where rotating selections from the collection and long-term themed displays are presented to highlight ceramics, jade, painting and other major categories.
• Special exhibition galleries: Separate galleries and special exhibition spaces used to present delicate or high-profile objects on rotation to protect collections while allowing public viewing.

The National Palace Museum is in northern Taipei (Shilin District). Take the Taipei MRT Tamsui-Xinyi (Red) line to Shilin or Jiantan station, then transfer to the museum shuttle/local buses (museum shuttle/R30 and other bus routes operate from the MRT area) or a short taxi ride; the shuttle/bus stops are a short walk from the museum entrance. By car it’s accessed via Zhongshan North Road and is about 7-10 km north of central Taipei.

• Aim for a weekday morning right at opening to see the top highlights (Jadeite Cabbage, Meat-shaped Stone, rotating imperial collections) before the overseas tour groups arrive.
• Prioritize the small, high-demand exhibits first - they're compact and get congested quickly; use the museum map to route to these pieces rather than zig-zagging through galleries.
• Take the MRT to Shilin and then the short bus or taxi up to the museum to avoid searching for parking; arriving by public transit shortens overall transit time and is the common local approach.