BEIJING, July 22 (Xinhua) -- The Palace Museum in Beijing, or the Forbidden City, has received more than 100 million visitors since Jan. 2012, the museum said.

To avoid overcrowding during peak seasons, the museum has allowed a maximum of 80,000 visitors per day since June 2015, compared with more than 100,000 or even 180,000 visitors per day previously.

Controlling visitor numbers is aimed at protecting the security of both the cultural relics and visitors.

The museum will further improve its management and conduct a pilot scheme of selling tickets at designated periods during the day in 2019, said Shan Jixiang, director of the museum.

A renowned world cultural heritage site and home to priceless art works and artifacts, the Palace Museum is a must-see for tourists and saw a record high of 16.7 million visitors in 2017.