Overview
Nearly a thousand buildings stand on 72 hectares, laid out on the north–south axis that organises the whole city. The outer court, with the Hall of Supreme Harmony, staged the state; the inner court behind it was where the court actually lived. Ordinary people could not enter until 1925, which is the sense in which it was forbidden.
Highlights
Enter from Meridian Gate in the south and leave by the north gate, which is the direction the plan is meant to be read in. The Treasure Gallery and the Hall of Clocks charge a small extra fee and hold the collections most worth the time. Tickets are timed, sold online only, and sell out days ahead in summer; the museum closes on Mondays.