Quick Answer (30 seconds)
China's top 18 attractions — most require advance booking. Forbidden City: 7 days ahead. Terracotta Warriors: 1 week ahead. National Museum: 7 days, free. Monday closure is the rule for nearly all museums. Below is a city-by-city list with booking windows, prices, and closure days.
No reservation = you went for nothing. Set alarms before you go.
Full Guide
Beijing
- Forbidden City (Palace Museum) — Booking: 7 days ahead, 8 PM release · Price: ¥60 (peak)/¥40 (off-peak) · Closed: Monday · Bring passport
- National Museum of China — Booking: 7 days ahead, 5 PM release · Price: Free · Closed: Monday · Bring passport
- Badaling Great Wall — Booking: required in peak season · Price: ¥40 (peak)/¥35 (off-peak) · Closed: none (shorter hours in winter)
- Tiananmen Square — Booking: WeChat mini-program · Price: Free · Closed: none · Passport required at security
- Summer Palace — Booking: recommended in peak · Price: ¥30 (peak)/¥20 (off-peak) · Closed: none
- Temple of Heaven — Booking: recommended in peak · Price: ¥15 (peak)/¥10 (off-peak) · Closed: none
Xi'an
- Terracotta Warriors — Booking: 1 week ahead in peak · Price: ¥120 · Closed: none · Search "秦始皇帝陵博物院" in WeChat
- Grand Tang Mall (Datang Everbright City) — Booking: not required · Price: Free · Closed: none · Best at night
Shanghai
- Shanghai Museum East — Booking: walk-in (no reservation needed) · Price: Free · Closed: Tuesday · Bring ID for entry
- The Bund — Booking: not required · Price: Free · Closed: none · Best time: sunset
Chengdu
- Giant Panda Breeding Base — Booking: required, sells out in peak · Price: ¥55 · Closed: none · Arrive before 8 AM
Other Cities
- Mogao Grottoes (Dunhuang) — Booking: Type A 30 days ahead at 7 AM, Type B 7 days ahead · Price: Type A ¥238 (digital film + 8 caves)/Type B ¥100 (4 caves) · Closed: none · Type A daily cap 6,000, Type B daily cap 12,000
- Potala Palace (Lhasa) — Booking: 10 days ahead via official WeChat or ticketing system · Price: ¥200 (peak May-Oct)/¥100 (off-peak Nov-Apr) · Closed: Monday (except holidays)
- West Lake (Hangzhou) — Booking: not required · Price: Free · Closed: none · Some sub-sites require booking
- Humble Administrator's Garden (Suzhou) — Booking: required in peak · Price: ¥80 (peak)/¥70 (off-peak) · Closed: none
- Zhangjiajie National Forest Park — Booking: recommended in peak · Price: ¥165 (4-day pass, includes entrance but excludes eco-bus shuttle) · Closed: none
- Longmen Grottoes (Luoyang) — Booking: recommended in peak · Price: ¥90 · Closed: none
- Shaolin Temple (Dengfeng) — Booking: not required · Price: ¥80 · Closed: none
Booking Channels Summary
- WeChat Mini-Programs: Search attraction name in Chinese — most official booking channel
- Trip.com: English interface, ¥10-30 service fee, accepts foreign cards
- Klook: English interface, covers some popular attractions
- Attraction official websites: Some have independent booking sites
The Monday Closure Rule
Nearly all museums in China close on Mondays. Forbidden City, National Museum, Shanghai Museum (People's Square branch), Shaanxi History Museum — no exceptions. Note: Shanghai Museum East closes on Tuesdays. When planning your itinerary, leave Monday for non-museum activities.
Troubleshooting
Problem 1: Arrived at Forbidden City Without Booking
What happens: You took a taxi to the Forbidden City, no reservation.
Fix: No same-day tickets. Go to Jingshan Park across the north gate (¥2), climb to the top for an overhead view of the entire Forbidden City. Set an alarm for 8 PM tonight to grab tomorrow's tickets.
Problem 2: Arrived at a Museum on Monday
What happens: You're in Xi'an on Monday, planning to visit Shaanxi History Museum — it's closed.
Fix: Monday is universal museum closure day in China, no exceptions. Schedule outdoor activities for Monday: city wall cycling, Grand Tang Mall, Muslim Quarter. Move museums to Tuesday-Friday.
Problem 3: Peak Season Tickets Gone in Seconds
What happens: Forbidden City tickets show "sold out" 30 seconds after release.
Fix: Peak season (July-August, National Day, Spring Festival) is brutally competitive. Refresh repeatedly — cancelled tickets get released. Try Trip.com (sometimes has extra inventory with service fee). Or travel in off-season (November-March, fewer people, easier bookings).
Last verified: August 2026 · Sources: Palace Museum official website (ticket.dpm.org.cn), National Museum (chnmuseum.cn), Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum, official channels for each attraction · Prices and booking policies may change.
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