Tickets for National Palace Museum & Chiang Kai-Shek Shilin Residence

The National Palace Museum boasts a collection of nearly 700,000 relics, and the chance to see the treasures of ancient China is worth anyone's time. But this combo ticket also adds the most recent chapter of Chinese history to the story. Step inside the residence of the exiled Kuomintang leader turned president of the ROC, Chiang Kai-Shek.

Amidst political turmoil and civil war in China, Chiang Kai-Shek made the decision to evacuate precious items from the Palace Museum in China's Forbidden City to less conflicted areas. Ultimately, both Chiang Kai-Shek and the museum's contents arrived safely in Taiwan.

The Palace Museum's items encompass the dynastic history of China, from Ming vases to the Mao Gong ding, which is thought to date back as far as 827 BC. Walk past jade sculptures and rare calligraphy, showcasing the skill and beauty that was favored throughout the imperial ages.

In the Chiang Kai-Shek Shilin residence, visitors will be able to explore the previously off-limits and heavily fortified area that the president and his wife occupied. From studies and reception rooms to the location's beautiful gardens, a trip to the house will give an insight into how the political elite lived in Taiwan and how US diplomats including Eisenhower and Reagan were received.