The Palace Museum could open for free to visitors if the government permitted and the public agreed with this idea, according to Shan Jixiang, the director of the museum.
Shan said that the current price of entrance ticket is pretty cheap as 60 RMB ($8.80) for peak seasons and 40 RMB ($5.80) for off-peak seasons.
More available visiting space has been opened to public in recent years. In 2014, only 52% of the museum was opened. By 2020, 80% of the Palace Museum is expected to be opened for visitors.
Shan has emphasized on many occasions that the museum needs to be well protected and recognized as a world cultural heritage site.