Taipei National Palace Museum Review 2026: Tips & Souvenirs
Explore one of the world's greatest museums, Taipei's National Palace Museum. Plan your 2026 visit with our guide to tickets, must-see exhibits, and souvenir finds.
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Explore one of the world's greatest museums, Taipei's National Palace Museum. Plan your 2026 visit with our guide to tickets, must-see exhibits, and souvenir finds.
This post is a sponsored review with complimentary services provided by the business,
and it may contain affiliate links where I earn a small commission.
Alongside the Louvre and the British Museum,
known as one of the world's top 5 museums—
a must-visit destination on your Taipei trip:
National Palace Museum
國立故宮博物院
Hello, everyone! I'm travel influencer Ciel-!
Today, I’m excited to introduce the National Palace Museum,
a absolute must-visit in Taipei, Taiwan,
renowned as one of the top five museums in the world.
Quick Guide to the National Palace Museum
Opening Hours
Tue–Sun 09:00–17:00
Closed every Monday
Tel: +886 2 2881 2021
Etc.
Group-friendly, takeout/delivery available, pet-friendly (outdoors only), cashless venue
📍 National Palace Museum📍
📍 National Palace Museum
No. 221, Sec 2, Zhi Shan Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, Taiwan 111
National Palace Museum Ticket Purchase | ||
On-site Purchase Price: 350 NTD (approx. ~$11) |
As of May 22, 2026
When comparing just the general admission ticket, Trip.com was the cheapest,
but I recommend comparing prices again right before you book!
Should you book a guided tour?
To be honest, since I was on a private package tour with a personal guide
who explained everything, I didn't need to book a separate docent tour.
But what if I didn't have a guide? As someone who loves history,
I wondered if a guided tour is really necessary here, and
my final verdict is: I highly recommend booking a guided tour.
Honestly, before the tour, I had a passing thought like, "It's not even my own country's history, is a guide really necessary?"
But since the National Palace Museum is counted among the world's top 5 museums,
housing nearly 700,000 artifacts, you really need to prioritize what to see.
Plus, because the collection is so massive, the exhibits actually rotate every 3 to 6 months!
For instance, the Jadeite Cabbage (Jade Cabbage) and the Meat-Shaped Stone (Dongpo Pork)
are the absolute legendary highlights you must see at the museum.
However, when I visited, only the Jadeite Cabbage was on display.
Without my guide, I wouldn't have known about the rotation and
probably would've spent ages wandering around trying to find the meat-shaped stone after seeing the jade cabbage! 🤣
Having a guide allowed me to appreciate every little detail
without missing a thing. If you aren't on a private tour like I was,
I highly recommend booking a guided docent tour.
Actually, a friend of mine who visited on a free-and-easy trip
said they didn't expect much from the guided tour but ended up being so glad they did it.
Without the guide, they probably would've walked right past the Mao Gong Ding (bronze tripod cauldron)
without ever realizing there are inscriptions carved on its inner surface!
Since Taiwan's National Palace Museum is one of the world's top 5 museums,
it gets incredibly crowded, and I wondered if I'd even be able to get a proper look.
But because the museum is so vast, the crowd dispersed nicely,
making the experience surprisingly smooth and comfortable!
(Except, of course, for the exhibition hall with the famous Jadeite Cabbage... 🤣)
The jade itself was so exquisite and beautiful that even a brief glance was captivating, but...
If you look closely, there is tiny writing carved on it.
I didn't know what it meant, but since they provided a magnifying glass
to show the micro-text, I took a quick peek.
While the National Palace Museum offered a vast array of artifacts ranging from prehistoric times,
what truly kept me spellbound were these exquisite jade creations.
They say the jade collection at Taiwan's National Palace Museum—passed down from the Chinese imperial courts—
is the absolute highlight of the museum,
and seeing them in person, I completely understood why. The colors are so stunning and the craftsmanship is on a whole other level!
Aren't they all absolutely gorgeous?
As you explore, you'll spot several folding screens like the one in the photo,
but this one is actually a folding screen made entirely of jade!✨️
✨️Empress Dowager Cixi's Jade Screen✨️
Isn't it mind-blowing? You really have to see this in person.💚
Pure, unadulterated awe.
Even the imperial seals were so beautiful,
and I was surprised to learn that this one is actually a guardian deity!
This is a Tang Dynasty beauty figurine, believed to represent Yang Guifei (Consort Yang).
As soon as I saw her plump, lovely figure, I couldn't help but feel she looked a bit like me...
I couldn't help but shed a playful tear thinking,
"Man, if I were born in the Tang Dynasty, I'd be an absolute goddess!"😂
This slightly fierce-looking figure is a guardian deity said to protect people from the three great disasters!
This is a famous baby pillow,
which was used to wish for a baby's health, longevity, and good fortune.
This next artifact, which drew almost as big a crowd as the Jadeite Cabbage,
turned out to be related to academic success.
Given how highly education is valued in Taipei, it's no wonder this spot was so popular!
While exploring the jade artifacts at the National Palace Museum was incredible,
admiring the porcelain was equally fascinating.
There were countless pieces of porcelain on display,
but this particular one really caught my eye.
The painted peaches were so beautiful and carried such an air of elegance.
They might look like ordinary bowls, but if there's a dragon design, here's a fun detail to check:
Does the dragon have 5 claws? It was reserved exclusively for the Emperor.
4 claws? Used by royalty and high-ranking nobles.
3 claws? Used by the lower nobility.
You can actually tell who owned the piece just by counting the dragon's claws!
When you visit, keeping an eye out for the claw count definitely adds to the fun, right?
Beyond that, they have these incredibly ornate accessories,
and even a surprisingly beautiful backscratcher, which looks quite different from the ones back home.
A backscratcher? You might be wondering if I uploaded the wrong photo.
But yes, that really is a backscratcher! ^^
Souvenirs
It seems like many people skip the gift shop thinking things are too pricey,
but I went in hoping to grab a reasonably priced keepsake to remember the trip by.
They have so many cute souvenirs themed around the Jadeite Cabbage and Dongpo Pork,
so even if you don't buy anything, I highly recommend stopping by just to browse!
By the way, as I was wondering what to get,
I ended up picking up this Jadeite Cabbage bookmark.
It was 180 NTD (~$6),
which was actually more expensive than the teapot I bought in Yingge (150 NTD, ~$5).
But using it while reading at home, it looks incredibly elegant and catches the light beautifully.
I'm absolutely loving it, so I highly recommend getting one!
They even wrapped it up so beautifully, which was a lovely touch.
✔︎ My Thoughts on Visiting the National Palace Museum in Taipei, Taiwan
As one of the top five museums in the world, it’s absolutely packed with incredible things to see.
The jade artifacts, in particular, are so intricate and stunning
that it’s definitely worth a visit.
Just a quick tip: major highlights like the Jadeite Cabbage and the Meat-Shaped Stone,
as well as other pieces from the collection, are rotated regularly.
They also host special exhibitions quite often, so I recommend checking their schedule online before you go!
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Taipei National Palace Museum Admission Tickets
Taiwan National Palace Museum Ticket - MyRealTrip
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Taipei National Palace Museum Guided Tour
Cielso
ⓒ2026.Cielso All rights reserved.
You cannot always see both of them. Because the museum's collection amounts to nearly 700,000 pieces, the exhibits are rotated every 3 to 6 months. We recommend checking the special exhibitions and the artifacts currently on display before your visit.
The number of dragon claws indicates the status of the person who used the ceramic. Five claws mean it was used by the emperor, four claws by royalty and high-ranking nobles, and three claws by ordinary nobles.
It is open from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Tuesday through Sunday, and is closed on Mondays. The on-site ticket price is 350 NTD, which is ~$11.
The price of the Jadeite Cabbage bookmark is 180 NTD, which is ~$6. Although it is slightly more expensive than the teapots sold in Yingge Village, it is a highly recommended souvenir because of its beautiful packaging and practical use.
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