Vatican Museums
Musei Vaticani
A treasure house of art built up by generations of popes, with the Sistine Chapel ceiling, Raphael's Stanze, the Laocoön, and the Gallery of Maps. The route covers about 7 kilometers.
The Vatican Museums grew from the art collections of successive popes. There are 54 galleries along a route of about 7 kilometers, and the museums receive nearly 7 million visitors a year. Must-sees include the Sistine Chapel, with Michelangelo's ceiling of Genesis and The Last Judgment, where popes are elected and photography is prohibited. Also see Raphael's Stanze, home to The School of Athens, and the Pio-Clementino Museum with the Laocoön and the Apollo Belvedere. The Gallery of Maps, the Tapestry Gallery, and the Egyptian Museum are also worth seeing, as is the spiral staircase near the exit. Tickets cost about 20 euros plus a booking fee. Book on the official website, museivaticani.va, well in advance (1 to 2 months ahead in peak season). Otherwise the queue on site often exceeds 2 hours. Choose the earliest slot if possible. Go straight to the Sistine Chapel first, then return to the other galleries. A visit takes 3 to 4 hours. The museums are closed on Sundays, except the last Sunday of each month, when entry is free but extremely crowded. Ottaviano station on metro line A is about a 10-minute walk from the entrance. Shoulders must be covered and clothing must reach the knees. After your visit, St. Peter's Basilica is about a 15-minute walk away.
Opening hours
Mon–Sat 08:00–19:00; closed Sundays (check official website)
Nearby sights
- St. Peter's Basilica
- Castel Sant'Angelo
- Janiculum Hill
- Spanish Steps
- Piazza Navona
- Campo de' Fiori
- Ara Pacis Museum
- Mausoleum of Augustus