A trip to the Vatican City wouldn’t be complete without checking out the vast amount of information in the Vatican Museums. It’s no secret that the Vatican Museums are extremely popular, and they often have crazy long queues. If you want to visit without standing in line for hours, you should alway get pre-purchase your Vatican Museum Tickets online before arriving.
The museums’ vast size means it could take days to see them in their entirety. If you can find the time, and like to immerse yourself in art and history, you should try to spend at least one full day here, though it could probably be done in four hours if you’re pushed.
Vatican Museum Tickets Procedure and Useful Info
Here’s what happens when you get into the museum:
Walk in the entrance and head into the central line. Everyone who visits the museums will have to pass through a security check.
After the initial queue, you will then pass through some metal detectors. After the detectors, head over to the ‘reserved’ window to your left and show your voucher. You can then head through the turnstile.
Don’t forget that there is a dress code and most visitors will cover their shoulders and knees as a sign of respect in the museums.
What to bring to the Vatican Museums
If you have bulky bags or umbrellas, you will need to check them at the coat check on the ground floor across from the ticket windows.
Small bags and foldable umbrellas are allowed inside the museum but nothing else!
Vatican Museums: Opening hours and days
The Vatican Museums are open every day except Sundays and religious holidays from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Last admission is at 4:00 p.m.
On the last Sunday of the month, as long as there isn’t a religious holiday, entrance to the Vatican Museums is free.
You can’t reserve tickets on these free days so you should get there early if you want to avoid the queues.
Vatican Museums tickets: Prices and discounts
Tickets to the Vatican Museums cost €17 for adults.
If you want to avail of the line-skipping service then add €4. There may be online booking fees, depending on who you book with, but getting Vatican museum tickets online will make life a lot easier!
Children under 6 get in for free and children between the ages of 6 and 17 years old can get the reduced admission of €9.
Reduced admission to the Vatican Museums is for children aged between 6 and 17 as well as students up to 25 years of age who present a student card.
Other reductions are provided for priests, members of religious orders and pilgrims.
Audio guides
Audio guides can be a great way to see the museums and explore at your own pace.
You can get them at the ticket counter or after you pass through the turnstiles.
It is an Mp3 player that is lightweight and easy to use, lasting more than 3 hours.
The audio guide is available in 10 different languages, is handy to help guide and keep you orientated.
You can customize your own itinerary instead of following someone else!
The Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel
Many visitors come to the Vatican Museums primarily to see the Sistine Chapel, a treasure trove of art which is unparalleled in the rest of the world.
The Sistine Chapel is actually part of the Vatican Museums, and you can enter it by buying a ticket for the Vatican Museums.
The Sistine Chapel is quite far from the main entrance so be prepared for a long walk id that is the only thing you want to see!
There are signs all along museum rooms which will provide the fastest route to the Sistine Chapel.
Remember that taking pictures or videos is not allowed in the Sistine Chapel, and you have to be quiet… unless you want to be shushed by the security guards!
If you would like to read more about the works exhibited in Sistine Chapel, then have a look at the online magazine, Musei-vaticani.it, which is filled with information written by tour guides and art historians.
Evening openings
From April to October, the Vatican Museums can be visited at night time as well as during the day.
The chance to visit the Vatican Museums by night shouldn’t be passed up… It’s magical!
Why visit the Vatican Museums at night?
First of all, the Vatican Museums are usually very crowded during the day, and it will be much easier to see everything in the evening when there are fewer visitors.
Many tourists aren’t aware of the evening opening hours so it can be a much better experience.
Another reason to visit the Vatican Museums by night is that it can be exhausting walking around on hot summer days. In summer, the night temperature is perfect for walking around without overheating!
But the most important reason to visit at night is that the Vatican Museums are wonderfully evocative by night.
Wrapped in the quiet of the night, with the lighting of the Vatican courtyards, and the view of the lights of Rome in the background can be a very romantic experience.
So what are you waiting for?! Adventure awaits.
