National Palace Museum, Taipei

Home to an unsurpassed collection of Chinese artifacts and artworks, National Palace Museum preserves nearly 10,000 years of Chinese history with some items dating back to Neolithic times. Most of its 700,000 pieces--including ceramics, calligraphy, paintings, religious sculptures, jade carvings, weapons, and Qing and Ming dynasty furniture--were collected by Chinese emperors themselves. Officially founded in the Forbidden City in 1925, the museum was moved to its present building in 1965 and then expanded on several occasions due to the sheer size of the collection. Do not miss the most popular exhibits: a skillfully carved piece of jade shaped like a cabbage with two grasshoppers hiding in its leaves, a meat-shaped stone, and a bronze bell specially made for King Li of Zhou. Arrange to visit National Palace Museum and other attractions in Taipei using our Taipei trip planner.