Puppet Emperor's Palace Museum (伪满皇宫博物院)

The Puppet Emperor's Palace Museum (Wei Man Huanggong Bowuyuan) stands at 5 Guangfu North Road in Kuancheng District, Changchun, Jilin Province. It preserves the residence of Puyi, the last emperor of the Qing dynasty, during the period of Japanese-controlled Manchukuo from 1932 to 1945, when Changchun was renamed Xinjing and served as the capital. The complex is divided into an Outer Court, where official business and ceremonial functions took place, and an Inner Court, where Puyi and his family lived. Notable buildings include the Jixi Building, the Qingyin Pavilion and an air-raid shelter built for the emperor late in the war. Many rooms have been restored with period furniture, photographs and documents, and the displays include material on Puyi's life, his time under Japanese influence, and his later reeducation. The museum is a major stop for visitors interested in twentieth-century Chinese history and the Manchukuo era. A visit takes two to three hours, and an audio guide is offered at the entrance. A passport is requested at the ticket window. Adult admission is around CNY 70, with reductions for students, and young children are free. The complex is busiest on weekends, during school holidays and at national holidays such as Golden Week, with large tour groups arriving mid-morning. Weekday mornings shortly after opening at about 8:30 are quieter. The site works well when paired with the nearby Eight Great Ministries buildings, and it is easily reached from Changchun Railway Station by taxi or bus in about fifteen minutes. A free map showing the Inner and Outer Courts is available at the gate and helps with orientation, since the layout is spread over several courtyards and interpretive signs are in Chinese with limited English. Winter hours are shorter, so visitors should check closing times, and last entry is about one hour before closing.