The National Palace Museum

The National Palace Museum in Taipei holds one of the largest and finest collections of Chinese art and artefacts in the world, a treasury of nearly 700,000 imperial pieces spanning some eight thousand years of history. The collection, drawn from the imperial holdings of Beijing's Forbidden City and brought to Taiwan amid the upheavals of the twentieth century, includes exquisite paintings, calligraphy, bronzes, ceramics, jade and rare books, among them the famous, beloved jade cabbage and the meat-shaped stone, a window into the glories of imperial China.

What you actually see

• The jade cabbage - the famous, beloved carved jade cabbage.
• The imperial treasures - the paintings, bronzes, jade and ceramics.
• The calligraphy and ceramics - the masterpieces of the collection.
• The rotating displays - the changing exhibits from the vast holdings.

When to go

Year-round; a fully indoor museum, ideal in any weather, and worth at least half a day. Go early or on a weekday to avoid the busiest times and the tour groups, which cluster around the most famous pieces.

Honest expectations

It is vast, so only a fraction of the collection is displayed at any time and rotates, meaning a specific famous piece like the jade cabbage may not be on show, so check ahead. It is very popular, so it gets crowded, especially around the star exhibits. It is a serious art museum, rewarding an interest in Chinese art and history, one of the great collections in the world.

Nearby

The Shilin district, the night market and central Taipei are within reach.