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The measure has been taken to permit the restoration, maintenance and safety of the famous Museum.

The Palace Museum, also known as the Forbidden City, in central Beijing will be closed to the public every Monday for renovation and maintenance starting on Jan. 6, it announced Sunday. The decision was made by museum authorities in November and went into effect on Jan. 1, according to a Palace Museum statement.

The former imperial palace had been closed on Monday afternoons since January 2013. The closure is being extended to cover the whole of Monday. Ancient architecture will be renovated, cultural relics protected and museum staff will receive training, the statement said.

On public holidays and Mondays during July and August, the museum will be open, it added. In the heart of Beijing, the Forbidden City was home to China's emperors and was the highest center of power for about 500 years. It attracts more than 14 million visitors annually.

In the Palace Museum (or Forbidden City), in Beijing from September 2013 began the repair and renovation project that aims for a spacious and modernized exhibition hall. The project, which is expected to end on May 31, 2015, involves the repair and rebuilding of two building areas near the Meridian Gate, the southern and largest gate of the museum.

Shan Jixiang, curator of the museum, noted at Tuesday's project launch ceremony that the work will be difficult due to the size of the buildings involved, the long period as well as the fact that the project will be conducted while the museum remains open to the public. The project will lead to a huge exhibition area covering more than 2,800 square meters, which will also feature multiple modern functions.

While calling for a high-quality renovation, Shan stressed that the safety of project workers, buildings and cultural relics inside the museum must be ensured and all historical and cultural features in the areas must be preserved with the utmost efforts.

Forbidden City bans lighters

Visitors to Beijing's Palace Museum, also known as the Forbidden City, are not allowed to carry cigarette lighters or matches from Wednesday. Shan Jixiang, the curator, said the move will further help eliminate any potential fire risks at the museum, after it went smoke-free on May 18. "Cigarette ends were hard to find in the Forbidden City after the smoke ban," Shan said.

The museum said its staff are not allowed to smoke, regardless of being indoors or outdoors within the grounds. Anyone violating the smoke ban will face punishment, a regulation said. Meanwhile, the ancient bell that was damaged by a man on May 4 has been partially repaired, the museum said.