Treasure Gallery vs Clock Gallery - orientation
The Forbidden City has two ticketed side galleries you can add to a standard visit: the Treasure Gallery (Zhenbaoguan) in the northeast, and the Clock Gallery (Zhongbiaoguan) toward the central-east. Each costs an extra RMB 10 on top of admission and is booked under the same real-name reservation rules. The Treasure Gallery is about imperial gold and jade; the Clock Gallery is about Qing imperial and European clocks. Most visitors add one, not both, unless they have a long, unhurried day.
- Location: On-site only - both galleries are inside the Forbidden City
- Typical visit style: Add roughly 45-90 minutes per gallery
- Difficulty: Easy - indoor displays, some steps
- Crowds: Quieter than the central-axis halls
- Best for: Visitors deciding which paid gallery to add; Culture-curious travellers with 3+ hours on site; Anyone comparing costs and route impact
- Less ideal for: Short visits under 2.5 hours - stay on the central axis
Treasure Gallery vs Clock Gallery: The Short Answer
Add the Treasure Gallery if you care most about imperial gold, jade and ceremonial objects - its centrepiece is the Qianlong 'Da Yu Taming Floods' jade carving. Add the Clock Gallery if you are drawn to intricate Qing imperial and European mechanical clocks. Both are RMB 10 extra and booked under the same real-name rules. If you can only add one, choose by interest; if you have a long day and energy to spare, both fit. As a DragonTrail planning estimate, budget about 45-90 minutes for each.
- Treasure Gallery: imperial gold and jade (the Da Yu jade carving).
- Clock Gallery: Qing imperial and European mechanical clocks.
- Both RMB 10 extra, same real-name reservation rules.
- Pick one by interest; add both only with a long, unhurried day.
Treasure Gallery vs Clock Gallery at a glance
| Factor | Treasure Gallery | Clock Gallery |
|---|---|---|
| What you see | Imperial gold, jade, ceremonial objects | Qing imperial and European mechanical clocks |
| Signature piece | Qianlong 'Da Yu Taming Floods' jade carving | Elaborate chiming and automaton clocks |
| Roughly where | Northeast, Hall of Imperial Supremacy area | Central-east of the complex |
| Extra ticket | RMB 10 | RMB 10 |
| Planning estimate for time | About 45-90 minutes | About 45-90 minutes |
| Best for | Jade, gold and craft lovers | Mechanical and horology lovers |
The Treasure Gallery (Zhenbaoguan)
Palace of Tranquil Longevity (Huangjidian) facade in the Forbidden City northeast complex near the Treasure Gallery. Photo: Francesco Bini / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
The Treasure Gallery sits in the northeast of the Forbidden City, around the Hall of Imperial Supremacy area, and gathers the palace's densest display of imperial treasure: gold ritual objects, ceremonial regalia, and carved jade. Its most famous exhibit is the Qianlong-era 'Da Yu Taming Floods' jade carving, cut from a single boulder of Khotan jade. It is a strong add for anyone who enjoyed the jade and craft themes elsewhere in the palace. Entry is an extra RMB 10 on top of admission.
- Northeast, Hall of Imperial Supremacy area.
- Imperial gold, ceremonial regalia, carved jade.
- Centrepiece: the 'Da Yu Taming Floods' jade carving.
- RMB 10 extra ticket.
The Clock Gallery (Zhongbiaoguan)
Gilded copper hatstand clock displayed in the Palace Museum Clock Gallery (Hall for Ancestral Worship area). Photo: 用心阁 / CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
The Clock Gallery, toward the central-east of the complex, displays the Qing court's collection of ornate mechanical clocks - Chinese imperial pieces alongside elaborate European imports, many with moving automata and chimes. It is a favourite for visitors who like intricate machinery and the story of Qing-era exchange with Europe. Live winding or demonstration times, when scheduled, are posted on site; check the day's notices rather than relying on a fixed hour. Entry is an extra RMB 10 on top of admission.
- Central-east of the complex.
- Qing imperial and European mechanical clocks with automata.
- Any demonstration times are posted on site - check current notices.
- RMB 10 extra ticket.
Which should you choose?
Choose by interest. If you love jade, gold and imperial craft, the Treasure Gallery is the pick. If you love intricate machinery, automata and the East-West clock story, choose the Clock Gallery. Families with older children often find the moving clocks more engaging; jade and gold reward slower, closer looking. If you genuinely can't decide and have a long day, add both - but for most visitors one gallery keeps the day comfortable.
- Craft, jade and gold -> Treasure Gallery.
- Machinery and automata -> Clock Gallery.
- Older kids often prefer the moving clocks.
- Undecided with a long day -> add both.
How much extra time do they take?
As a DragonTrail planning estimate, budget roughly 45-90 minutes for each gallery on top of the standard central-axis route, depending on how closely you look and how busy it is. Adding one gallery turns a 2.5-3 hour visit into roughly 3.5-4.5 hours; adding both pushes a full, unhurried day toward 5+ hours. These are planning ranges, not official figures - pace to your own energy and the day's crowds.
- Roughly 45-90 minutes per gallery (planning estimate).
- One gallery: about 3.5-4.5 hours total on site.
- Both galleries: a full 5+ hour day.
- Treat these as ranges, not official timings.
How to add them to the standard route
Both galleries are off the central axis, so plan a short detour rather than expecting to pass them naturally. The Treasure Gallery is a northeast detour usually taken toward the end of the axis walk, near the Imperial Garden. The Clock Gallery is reached by a central-east detour. Slot them in before you exit the North or East Gate. See the route guide and the map to place them against the twelve central-axis stops.
- Both are off-axis - plan a deliberate detour.
- Treasure Gallery: northeast detour near the Imperial Garden.
- Clock Gallery: central-east detour.
- Place them on the walk: route guide
- See where they sit: Forbidden City map
Tickets and booking
Each gallery is an extra RMB 10 on top of Forbidden City admission, and both are booked under the same real-name reservation rules as the main ticket - reserved in advance, tied to your passport, released at 20:00 (8 PM) Beijing time 7 days ahead. There are no same-day gallery tickets and no authorised third-party agents. Add the galleries when you reserve your admission, or ask your guide to include them in the reservation.
- RMB 10 each, on top of admission.
- Same real-name reservation rules as the main ticket.
- No same-day gallery tickets.
- How reservations work
Current status
Last checked: 9 August 2026. Gallery access and temporary exhibition arrangements can change; check the Palace Museum's current visitor notices for opening status, any demonstration times, and whether both galleries are open on your date before you rely on either for your plan.
Treasure Gallery vs Clock Gallery FAQ
- Each is an extra RMB 10 on top of Forbidden City admission, booked under the same real-name reservation rules.
- It depends on your interest: the Treasure Gallery for imperial gold and jade (including the Da Yu Taming Floods carving), the Clock Gallery for intricate Qing and European mechanical clocks.
- Yes, with a long, unhurried day - budget roughly 45-90 minutes for each as a planning estimate, on top of the standard route.
- The Treasure Gallery is in the northeast (Hall of Imperial Supremacy area); the Clock Gallery is toward the central-east. Both are off the central axis.
- Any winding or demonstration times are posted on site and can change - check the day's notices rather than relying on a fixed hour.
- Add them under the same real-name reservation as your admission, or ask your guide to include them. There are no same-day gallery tickets.
Add a gallery to a guided visit
Our private Forbidden City day can include the Treasure Gallery or Clock Gallery, with help on the real-name reservation and pacing so the detour doesn't rush the central axis.
Not sure how much time you have? Check the tickets and route pages to slot a gallery into your plan.
