Is the best tour route for the Palace Museum entering through the Meridian Gate and exiting through the Spiritual Valor Gate?

Yes, the officially recommended route is entering through the Meridian Gate (the only entrance) and exiting via the Spiritual Valor Gate (or East Glorious Gate)： After entering through the Meridian Gate, follow the central axis to visit the Three Great Halls, Three Rear Palaces, and Imperial Garden in order, then exit through the Spiritual Valor Gate. This route is smooth, covers 90% of core areas, and avoids backtracking. During peak seasons, when crowds at the Spiritual Valor Gate are heavy, some visitors exit via the East Glorious Gate (near the Palace Museum’s east entrance), but the core route remains Meridian Gate → Spiritual Valor Gate. The full tour takes 4–6 hours, and exiting at Spiritual Valor Gate leads directly to Jingshan Park for panoramic views of the Palace Museum.