Ticket Booking Website Collapses After Palace Museum Announces It Will Open at Night

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By Tang Ziyi / Feb 19, 2019 10:58 AM / Society & Culture

Photo: VCG

The Palace Museum will be open to the public at nighttime to celebrate the Lantern Festival on Tuesday – and excitement is so intense that it’s caused the official ticket-buying website to collapse.

That’s because this year will be the first time the Palace Museum has opened to the public at nighttime in the 94 years since its establishment.

On Feb. 19 and 20, the palace will put on a "stunning red lantern show, light projection for renowned ancient painting as well as New Year themed exhibitions,” state-run CCTV reported. Appreciating lanterns is one of the main activities of the Lantern Festival, the day that marks the end of the Chinese New Year period.

The ticket-booking website collapsed around midnight on Sunday night, due to the high number of people trying to buy tickets for the Feb. 20 tour. The ticket to the first tour had already been fully booked hours after going on sale Saturday afternoon, state-affiliated Xinhua News Agency reported.

Founded in 1925, the Palace Museum was established on the site of the Forbidden City, the imperial palace of ancient China.

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