Summer Palace Museum

Established in September 2021, the Summer Palace Museum is essentially the imperial family's private treasure house. Most of its 40,000 exhibits, ranging from intricate jades to gold and silver ware, were the original furnishings used within the halls and palaces you see today. These pieces offer a glimpse into the daily luxury of the Qing (1644-1911) imperial family, showing exactly how they decorated their living quarters and celebrated grand occasions.
 

Pianos of the Imperial Family

 
This section showcases porcelain produced between 1862 and 1908 during Empress Dowager Cixi's reign, characterized by vibrant colors, intricate details, and a distinctly feminine aesthetic. Exhibits include her personal daily use, decorative palace pieces, wedding ceramics commissioned for her son, and longevity celebration porcelain.
 
Named after Cixi's study room in Summer Palace, these pieces reflect her unique artistic vision. Featuring colorful floral and avian motifs painted by her favored court artist, they often adopt lotus pink or pale blue hues with soft pastels. 
 

Porcelain During Cixi's Era

 
During Emperor Qianlong's prosperous reign from 1736 to 1796, premium jades entered the imperial collection in abundance. The museum houses Qianlong-era masterpieces in white, cyan, and green jade, crafted into scholarly objects, ornaments, and daily use items.
 

Round Jade Box

Jade Seal

At the jade gallery, you can primarily admire three distinctive types of jade from the period: archaic jade, fashioned after bronze artifacts from 1600 to 200 BC; poetic jade, inscribed with verses composed by the emperor himself; and ingeniously carved jade, which creatively transforms the stone’s natural color variations or flaws into unique designs.
 
These exquisite pieces mimic natural landscapes using precious materials, crafted from gold, silver, gemstones, ivory, pearls, and coral, were gifted to the court by nobles or produced by imperial workshops. Their designs, ranging from "Eternal Unity" to "Celestial Birthday Tributes", embody imperial aspirations of dynastic perpetuity and longevity.
 
As a birthday gift for Empress Dowager Cixi, this piece portrays the Eight Immortals journeying to celebrate the Queen Mother of Heaven, the highest-ranking female deity. The gilded plum tree, adorned with pearl-studded blossoms, symbolizing the arrival of spring. Beneath the tree stands ivory-carved immortals and sea creatures, with aluminum waves shimmering below.
  

European Porcelain Exhibit

Gilded Table Clock

From the late 19th to the early 20th century, the Summer Palace was a key venue for receiving foreign envoys. This hall displays their gifts like European porcelain, glassware, clocks, and Western-style furniture tailored for the international guests, sourced from the U.S., Britain, France, Japan, Germany, and Austria.
  

Japan Rickshaw

This golden royal carriage features hexagonal design with dragon motifs on doors and panels. It is said that Empress Dowager Cixi once rode in this rickshaw. However, she rarely used it, because having the puller's back facing her was a profound sign of disrespect to her and a major breach of imperial etiquette.
  

Ancient Painting

Besides the regular displays, the museum often hosts temporary themed shows. For instance, there’s an exhibit featuring 160 artifacts like jade carvings and porcelain for imperial use that were moved across China between 1933 and 1951 to keep them safe during the war. These special exhibitions change every few months, so it’s always a good idea to see what's on when you visit.
   

Wood Carving Artifact

April to October: Opens at 8:00, last entry at 17:30, closes at 18:00.
November to March: Opens at 8:30, last entry at 16:30, closes at 17:00.
An entire visit in the museum can be completed in about 1-1.5 hours.
 
You have two easy ways to visit the museum. The simplest option is the CNY 60 "Combined Ticket," which covers your park entry plus all the interior sights. If you already have a basic park ticket (CNY 20-30) and decide to visit the museum once you're inside, you can just upgrade on-site with a separate CNY 20 museum ticket. You can either book ahead or decide when you get there. Remember to bring your original passport for verification.
  

Summer Palace Museum Entrance

Stone Lion Before the Gate

The Summer Palace Museum is located in the northeast to the Kunming Lake. After entering through the East Palace Gate, walk straight to the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity, then turn left and walk about 100 meters to reach the museum, taking approximately 5 minutes in total.