The "Palace" in the National Palace Museum's name refers to the Forbidden City in Beijing, which was first built in the reign of the Ming dynasty emperor Chengzu (ruled 1403-1424). The Ming was followed by the Qing, and then in 1925, the 14th year of the Republic of China, the last Qing emperor Pu Yi left the Forbidden City, and the National Palace Museum was formally established.
而故宮之「宮」，原來是北平紫禁城，建於十五世紀明成祖永樂年間，歷經明、清二代，到了民國十四年，末代皇帝溥儀出宮，故宮博物院正式成立。