Vatican Museums: What to See Between the Sistine Chapel and Raphael’s Rooms

Every year more than six million people enter the Vatican Museums, ready to walk the seven kilometers of wonders that wind through the heart of Vatican City. A journey through art, faith, and history that begins well before the famous Sistine Chapel and Raphael Rooms, and continues through galleries, unique collections, and immortal masterpieces.

Visiting the Vatican Museums means coming into contact with centuries of beauty, from the power of Michelangelo’s Last Judgment to the refined geometries of the Gallery of Maps. But what should you really see? How to best organize your visit? Where to find the PDF map and what are the available hours and tickets?

This guide takes you step by step through the Vatican museum, one of the most visited and fascinating in the world.

What to See in the Vatican Museums: A Journey Through History and Papal Collections

Behind the walls of Vatican City lies a world of artistic wonders that come to life among the Renaissance palaces designed by Bramante. The Vatican Museums, as we know them today, were born thanks to the vision of Renaissance Popes, starting with Julius II, who began the collection by displaying classical statues in the Courtyard of the Statues, now known as the Octagonal Courtyard.

Over the centuries, new rooms and collections were added: in the 18th century, Popes Clement XIV and Pius VI created the Pio-Clementine Museum, one of the most important cores of the entire complex. The 19th century saw the birth of the Gregorian Etruscan Museum, thanks to finds from Etruria, and the Gregorian Egyptian Museum, set up in 1839 on the initiative of the Egyptologist Father Ungarelli.

This was followed by the Pio-Christian Museum, dedicated to ancient Christian sculpture, and at the beginning of the 20th century, the Jewish Lapidary was added, as well as the transfer of some museums from the Lateran Palace to the new building commissioned by Pope John XXIII.

For this reason, the history of the Vatican Museums is, in fact, a layering of art, archaeology, and faith that has given life to one of the largest and most precious museum complexes in the world, housing artworks and sculptures of inestimable value.

Visiting the Sistine Chapel and Other Wonders of the Vatican Museums

The Vatican Museums are not limited to the Sistine Chapel: on the contrary, they contain an extraordinary network of galleries, rooms, and collections that tell centuries of art and spirituality. Among the must-see stops is the Gallery of Tapestries, which houses precious textile artifacts from the 16th and 17th centuries, and the spectacular Gallery of Maps, frescoed during the pontificate of Gregory XIII and restored in the Baroque era by Urban VIII.

Among the most suggestive rooms are that of Sobieski and the Room of the Immaculate Conception, as well as the famous Raphael Rooms, frescoed between 1513 and 1521 on commission from Popes Julius II and Leo X. Each environment is a world unto itself, but it is the Sistine Chapel that captures the attention of visitors from around the world: built by the will of Pope Sixtus IV (not Sixtus IX), it represents the artistic and spiritual heart of the entire complex, with Michelangelo’s majestic Last Judgment dominating the altar.

The path continues with the Borgia Apartment, the Vatican Pinacotheca, the Missionary-Ethnological Museum, and the more modern sections, such as the Collection of Modern and Contemporary Religious Art, inaugurated by Paul VI in 1973. In the same year, the Historical Museum was also established, transferred in 1987 to the Papal Apartment of the Lateran Palace, where relics, portraits, and documents relating to the popes and ancient pontifical offices now abolished are kept.

Visiting the Sistine Chapel is only part of a broader experience: every corner of the Vatican Museums deserves to be discovered calmly and attentively, to grasp all the richness of one of the most extraordinary places of world culture.

How to visit the Vatican Museums: rules and useful tips

The Vatican Museums are one of the most sought-after destinations in the world, and to fully enjoy the experience it is important to know some fundamental rules before entering. The exhibition route is wide and complex, and the steady flow of visitors requires good planning.

The best way to avoid long waits is to buy tickets for the Vatican Museums online, choosing the priority entry option “skip the line.” Some guided tours also include an audio guide or reserved access to special sections of the Vatican museum.

What is not allowed to bring into the Vatican Museums

For security reasons and the protection of artworks, the following are prohibited:

• Alcoholic beverages and spirits (must be left at the cloakroom);
• Food and drinks of any kind (collectable by closing time);
• Suitcases, bulky backpacks, packages, and containers larger than 40x35x15 cm;
• Large umbrellas, sticks, tripods, signs, and banners;
• Knives, scissors, and dangerous metallic objects;
• Selfie sticks and professional photographic equipment (without authorization);
• Use of flash, photography, and video recording in the Sistine Chapel.

Decent clothing is mandatory: shorts, tank tops, miniskirts, or hats are not allowed.

Inside the Sistine Chapel speaking or giving explanations is not permitted, even if using radio systems. Guides may explain the meaning of frescoes only at the external panels along the route.

What is allowed in the Vatican Museums

Although the rules are strict, there are several things visitors can do inside the Vatican Museums to enjoy the experience comfortably and inclusively.

• Using mobile phones: allowed in all areas except in the Sistine Chapel, where silence is mandatory. However, limited use is recommended to encourage contemplation of the artworks.
• Photography: it is possible to take photos of the environments and artworks with hand-held cameras, without flash or professional equipment.
• Using strollers: baby strollers are allowed throughout the museum route.
• Access with guide dogs for the visually impaired, equipped with leash and muzzle.
• Bringing therapeutic support animals, certified for pet therapy. In both cases, it is mandatory to send a communication at least 24 hours in advance to: accoglienza.musei@scv.va

Remember: for a comfortable and stress-free visit, you can always buy the ticket online with priority entry, avoiding lines at the entrance.

Opening hours, evening openings and map of the Vatican Museums

Opening hours

The Vatican Museums are open from Monday to Saturday, from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
The last admission is allowed by 4:00 PM, to allow a complete visit of at least 2 hours. If you also choose the route through the Vatican Gardens, the average duration rises to about 3 hours.

Night visits

During the summer months, it is possible to visit the Vatican Museums in the evening: every Friday, from the beginning of May until the end of September (excluding August), special night openings are organized, with limited entries and a more intimate and suggestive atmosphere.

Closing days

The Vatican Museums are closed every Sunday, except for the last Sunday of the month, when admission is free from 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM (closing at 2:00 PM).
However, this does not apply in the case of major religious holidays.

Official closing days 2024–2025:

• January: 1, 6
• February: 11, 22
• March: 19, 28
• June: 29 (SS. Peter and Paul)
• August: 15
• November: 1
• December: 8, 25, 26

It is always advisable to check the updated calendar on the official website before the visit.

Route of the Vatican Museums and PDF map

The route of the Vatican Museums follows a marked itinerary that allows you to cross the main sections and galleries up to the Sistine Chapel.
To better orient yourself, you can download the official PDF map by clicking on the link or the image.

Download the Vatican Museums map in PDF

Vatican Museums Map

Tickets for the Vatican Museums: costs and useful information

The entrance ticket to the Vatican Museums also includes access to the Sistine Chapel and is valid exclusively for the selected day at the time of booking. Once issued, the ticket is non-refundable and cannot be modified. Some areas of the museum complex, usually not open to the public, can be visited upon special request through authorized tours.

Ticket prices:

• Full price: €16
• Reduced: €8 (for students, teachers, and other categories)
• Schools: €4 (for organized school visits)

To avoid long waits, it is recommended to purchase the ticket online, choosing the option with priority entrance. The service is available on the official site or through authorized portals.

Reduced prices and free entrance to the Vatican Museums

Reduced tickets for the Vatican Museums are available for certain categories of visitors. Here are the details on reductions and free admissions:

Reduced ticket:

• Children from 6 to 18 years old.
• Students up to 25 years old with an updated International Student Card, university booklet, or other document certifying enrollment for the current year.
• University institutes: students up to 25 years old with a request letter on institute letterhead, stamped and signed by the Dean or Rector. The reduced ticket is valid for one student and one teacher/accompanying person for every 10 students; additional teachers/accompanying persons pay the full ticket. No free admissions are granted.
• Priests, religious men, and women (with official documentation).
• Pilgrimages: free entrance for the accompanying priest upon presentation of the celebret.
• Employees of the Holy See and Vatican City and their relatives (spouses, children, parents, brothers, sisters) upon simple identification.

Reduced ticket for schools:

• Elementary, middle, and high schools (except universities) are entitled to a special reduced ticket upon presentation of an official letter from the Principal, stamped and signed by the Institute, specifying the number of students, teachers, and chaperones.
• A free admission is provided for one teacher every 10 students; additional teachers or chaperones must purchase a full ticket.

Free entrance to the Vatican Museums

Entrance to the Vatican Museums is free for the following categories of visitors:

1. Free entrance days:

• Last Sunday of the month: free entrance from 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM (closing at 2:00 PM).
• World Tourism Day (September 27): free entrance.

2. Special categories:

• Children up to 5 years old.
• Directors of museums, superintendencies, and entities responsible for the protection of archaeological, artistic and historical heritage.
• Disabled visitors with a disability certificate of more than 74% and their companion (only if the visitor is not self-sufficient). Free tickets for disabled visitors and their companions cannot be booked online and are issued directly at the “Special Permits” counters or at the Vatican Museums Reception, upon presentation of documentation.

3. Other admitted categories:

• Journalists authorized by the Museums Directorate, upon request from the Holy See Press Office or the Foreign Press Association.
• Holders of Icom card (International Council of Museums) and Icomos (International Council of Monuments and Sites) with updated cards.
• Donors of artworks, benefactors, and members of the “Patrons of the Arts” of the Vatican Museums.
• University professors of Archaeology, Art History, Architecture, and Ethnology. It is possible to occasionally hold specialized lectures in certain museum sectors, with prior authorization and a written request to the Museums Directorate. If the visit continues outside the authorized sectors, a new ticket must be purchased.

Where to buy tickets for the Vatican Museums

The tickets for the Vatican Museums can be purchased in three main ways:

1. At the ticket office: direct purchase at the ticket counter located at the entrance of the Vatican Museums.
2. Official website: visit the official website of the Vatican Museums to buy tickets in advance, with the option of priority entry to avoid long waits.
3. Specialized websites: some online platforms offer ticketing services for the Vatican Museums, with the possibility of skip the line.

It is always recommended to buy tickets online to guarantee access and save time. Booking Vatican museums tickets is especially useful during peak periods.

Where the Vatican Museums Are Located

The Vatican Museums are located in Vatican City, in the heart of Rome, precisely on Viale Vaticano, just a few steps from the St. Peter’s Basilica.

Vatican Museums Contact

Phone: 06 69884676 – 06 69883145
For more information, you can directly contact the call center phone number of the Vatican Museums.

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions about the Vatican Museums