Independent travel guide
Prince Kung's Palace Museum
恭王府博物馆Gōng Wángfǔ Bówùguǎn
Prince Kung's Palace is most legible as a progression from formal residence to increasingly theatrical garden. Move quickly through the first ceremonial courts, slow down at the transition gate, and preserve time for the rear rockeries and planted courtyards.
Paid admission · Checked 2026-08-02
Verified ticket prices
Official pricesAdult admission ¥40
Adult admission
¥40- Real-name timed booking is used; bring the original passport entered in the order.
Imported official ticket note
Adult ¥40/person; free for under-6 or under-1.2 m children; half price for minors 6–18 and full-time undergraduates-and-below; HK/Macau/Taiwan and foreign youth get the student half price with valid ID or student card; half price for seniors 60+, active military and fire-rescue personnel; free for retired cadres and people with disabilities (exchange at the visitor service centre). Real-name purchase, advance online booking required, bookable from 20:00 ten days before; one ticket per valid document per entry day.
Research checked 2026-08-12Reservation required
How to book
Verified Klook international admission-plus-service product; it is not the official face-value ticket.
Book when the official window opens; high-demand dates can fill quickly.
Booking steps
- 1
Open the verified Klook product and select the exact visit date and admission option.
- 2
Add every traveler with the passport name, number and nationality exactly as printed.
- 3
Check inclusions, service markup and refund rules, pay, and save the voucher or confirmation.
Bring the original passport used in the booking and the saved confirmation or platform voucher.
If the recommended route is sold out, compare the official channel and other verified international products; never substitute a Chinese ID number.
Imported official reservation note
Visits require advance online purchase (real-name). Booking opens at 20:00 from 10 days before the visit; each valid document (resident ID, HK/Macau pass, Taiwan permit, HK/Macau/Taiwan residence permit, passport, foreigner permanent-residence ID) buys one ticket per entry day, each order up to 5 tickets, each person up to 2 orders per day. Passport buyers select passport as the document type and fill in their info; on the entry day, exchange an entry voucher at the integrated service area with the original passport, while 2nd-gen-ID bookings scan in directly. After the day's tickets sell out, a few refunds may flow back. Unused tickets can be refunded before midnight on the booked visit day.
Research checked 2026-08-122–3 hours (official recommended routes: 1-hour highlight / 2-hour standard / half-day in depth)
How to visit
Recommended Gate 1 (No.17 Qianhai West Street): Exit B of Beihai North Station (Metro Line 6), then ~200 m along Sanzuoqiao Lane or ~300 m along Longtoujing Street; or bus to Beihai North Gate Station. Parking nearby is extremely scarce—use public transport.
Finish through the rear garden route and follow signs back toward Shichahai.
- 1Stop 1Gate No.1
(Entry) No.17 Qianhai West Street; after the ticket check, go first to the visitor service centre (passport visitors exchange their entry voucher here) (5–10 min).
- 2Stop 2Yin'an Hall
(Main hall) The central hall of the mansion's middle road, the ceremonial space of the princely residence; the front plaza is open (15 min).
- 3Stop 3Jiale Hall
(Mansion middle road) A reception hall from Heshen's era, now mostly used for temporary exhibitions (15 min).
- 4Stop 4Rear screen building
(Rear of the mansion) Heshen's treasure building—the two-storey rear building whose front windows differ in shape; the mansion's landmark structure (15 min).
- 5Stop 5Xiyang Gate (Western-style gate)
(Garden entrance) A Western-style stone arch—the 'Cuijin Garden' main gate and a photo spot (10 min).
- 6Stop 6Grand theatre
(Yishen Suo) The mansion's grand theatre for Peking opera and other shows, with excellent acoustics (15–20 min).
- 7Stop 7The 'Fu' (Blessing) stele
(Miyun Cave) The Kangxi-emperor-inscribed 'Fu' stele hidden in the rockery's Miyun Cave; queueing to touch the 'Number One Blessing of the World' is a popular activity (15–20 min).
Best time
Weekdays, enter right at the 8:30 opening when it's emptiest; tour groups grow after 9:30. Do the front mansions 8:30–10:00, then move to the garden.
Foreigner notes
The official clearly supports passport purchase: select 'passport' as the document type when buying online and fill in your own info; on the entry day, exchange an entry voucher at the integrated service area (visitor service centre) with the original passport—direct turnstile scan isn't possible. HK/Macau/Taiwan and foreign youth get the student half price with a valid ID or student card.
Online booking (the official mall mall.pgm.org.cn) usually needs a phone number; international-number support isn't clear; ticket line 010-83286859 can arrange manual handling.
Online purchase is mainly WeChat/Alipay mobile payment; the official doesn't specify international-card or cash purchase; on-site purchase is via online platform, with the ticket line for questions.
The official site has an English version (en.pgm.org.cn); the museum offers human guides, audio guides and WeChat tours (recommended routes: 1-hour/2-hour/half-day/thematic); English audio guides and tours weren't confirmed in this search.
The architectural story becomes clearest at the western gate and rear garden. Do not let every front-room queue consume the visit.
Avoid these mistakes
Continue nearby
Shichahai Lakes2–3 hoursBeihai Park2-3 hours (about 3 hours if you climb the White Dagoba; about 2 hours for the lakeside only)Forbidden CityAbout 3.5–5 hours (half a day).Beijing seasonal itinerary guideBeijing itinerary and seasonal travel guide for a 4–5 days first visit.Beijing food guideIncludes spice, ingredient, allergen and ordering notes for independent travelers.Beijing Travel Guide & MapBeijing travel guide and interactive map for independent travelers.
Sources and evidence
Published by China Trip Primer · Read the editorial and verification methodology
Items to reconfirm
- The official hasn't published whether on-site ticket purchases accept cash or international cards, and online-platform international-card support is unconfirmed. — Call the ticket line 010-83286859 to ask about foreign-visitor payment methods.
- English audio-guide/English-tour services weren't confirmed in this search; the English site exists but service details are unverified. — Visit en.pgm.org.cn or ask the on-site visitor service centre.
- Whether off-season (Nov–Mar) closing matches the high-season 17:00 wasn't separately confirmed; official pages only list the 8:30–17:00 window. — Check the official 'visit guide' before travelling or call the visitor service centre 010-83288149.
Official
OfficialPrince Kung's Palace visitor guidePublisher · Beijing Municipal Government
Used forVisitor route, principal courtyards and garden access
Published 2026-03-20 · Verified 2026-07-29OfficialPrince Kung Mansion Museum ticket notice (¥40 admission, ticket policy, purchase/ticket-check/refund notes, info line 010-83286859)Publisher · Prince Kung's Mansion Museum, Ministry of Culture and TourismUsed forUsed to verify the imported ticketing, booking, opening-hours or visitor-guidance fields.
Verified 2026-08-12OfficialPrince Kung Mansion Museum visit guide (open 8:30–17:00, ticket sales stop 16:00, entry stops 16:10, closed Mondays, transport routes, recommended routes)Publisher · Prince Kung's Mansion Museum, Ministry of Culture and TourismUsed forUsed to verify the imported ticketing, booking, opening-hours or visitor-guidance fields.
Verified 2026-08-12OfficialPrince Kung Mansion Museum official site homepage (online-ticket entrance mall.pgm.org.cn, visiting routes, attraction intros)Publisher · Prince Kung's Mansion Museum, Ministry of Culture and TourismUsed forUsed to verify the imported ticketing, booking, opening-hours or visitor-guidance fields.
Verified 2026-08-12Venue-specific official pages are used where available. City-level official references provide context and are not booking confirmation; editorial and community sources are used only for route choices, pacing and first-hand experience.
恭王府博物馆前海西街17号