Detail: The Forbidden City: Inside the Court of China's Emperors offers a glimpse of an iconic and long-hidden era of Chinese cultural history. For five centuries Chinese emperors called the Forbidden City (1416–1911), located in the heart of Beijing, their home. With only the emperor, his imperial household and special visitors allowed inside its walls, this immense palace captured the world's attention for its power, wealth and mystery. Selected from the vast collections of Beijing's Palace Museum, the exhibition showcases nearly 200 precious works from the Forbidden City that have rarely been seen outside of China. These exquisite examples from Chinese cultural history date from as early as 500 CE to the early-twentieth century and include such treasures as paintings, ceramics, gold and silver wares, jade, cloisonné, bronzes and textiles.