The Palace Museum, also known as the Forbidden City in Beijing, will be closed every Monday starting Jan 1 next year, except during public holidays and the summer vacation, the authorities said.

Beijing Evening News reported on Monday that the policy was aimed to give more space and time for the construction of some ongoing projects and for the examination and maintenance of the ancient palace architecture and the cultural relics.

Since Jan 1 this year, the Palace Museum was closed every Monday afternoons, which eased the pressure of huge number of visitors was receiving.