Palace Museum to limit daily visitors

Crowds of tourists visit the Palace Museum. [Photo/Xinhua]

Visitors to Beijing's Palace Museum are to be capped at 80,000 a day from June 13, the 10th Chinese Cultural Heritage Day.

A series of steps will come into effect, including real-name ticketing, 10-day advance booking and tightened security.

The log-in page for online booking (gugong.228.com.cn) has two sections, with travel agencies and individuals divided into separate purchase channels. Advance tickets are available 10 days before a visit and bookings close at 9pm the night before the due date.

Agencies are required to book online for groups and personal information for every visitor must be recorded. One guide for each group must register their ID card. Copies of agencies operation licenses are required before they can log in to the system.

Individuals are also encouraged to buy tickets online. One valid ID can book no more than five tickets at one time and all visitors must provide an ID card or passport for a security check.

On-site ticket sales will continue for the immediate future and cashiers will still offer a service. Valid identity is required at the customer windows.

The Palace Museum has witnessed an increasing number of visitors in recent years, creating growing pressure on reception and security. Last year annual visitor numbers reached 15.25 million.