Palace Museum to offer discounted tickets from mid-September

To handle the overwhelming crowds, the Palace Museum in Beijing will control the sale of tickets through three pilot programs beginning in mid-September. These include discounted tickets after 2 pm from Sept 12-14, annual tickets and free tickets for certain groups of people.

Considering "rush hour" at the Palace Museum is from 10 am - 1 pm, the museum will try out new pricing: 30 yuan ($4.88) after 2 pm from Sept 12-14. The ticket will not cover entry to specialized exhibitions, however.

"We would like to encourage visitors to avoid the peak time in the morning and switch to the afternoon, so they can have a more comfortable touring experience," said museum Director Shan Jixiang not long ago.

The 300 yuan annual tickets allow visitors to enter the museum 10 times a calendar year. Special exhibition halls are not included. Chinese students and seniors are eligible for half-price discounts.

The museum will offer free admission for teachers on Nov 5; medical practitioners on Dec 3; volunteer workers on Jan 7; soldiers on Feb 4; policemen on Mar 4 and college students on Apr 1.